Pain and Pleasure Concerto
by M. Nicole
Summary: After being separated from Inuyasha, Kagome is kidnapped and imprisoned by Naraku. What will happen when Naraku traps an almost dead Sesshoumaru in the same cell? KagSess.
1. Exit To Eden

Pain and Pleasure Concerto

Summary: After being separated from Inuyasha during battle, Kagome is kidnapped and imprisoned by Naraku. What will happen when Naraku traps an almost dead Sesshoumaru in the same cell? Kag/Sess.

Rating: T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Pairings: Kagome/Inuyasha, Kagome/Sesshoumaru, Naraku/Sesshoumaru

Warnings: Contains indications of slash, as well as some graphic torture in later chapters. Plus PLEASE NOTE that this is somewhat of an AU.

_I was told this in a distant land where tortured  
souls have to fight together in anguish  
And the scenes of the show are of a cruel and violent nature  
Scenes of pain and cruelty are there to be seen  
The arena, the town, the place was set for all to watch and see_

_I was told this in a distant land where the oppressor ruled with an iron hand  
And a mission of saddened complacency left cold and emotionless by history  
Scenes of pain and cruelty are there to be seen  
All the while I should have known it was you killing me_

_East of Eden - Dead Can Dance_

_'Damnit! Slow down!'_ Kagome thought. Even is she wanted to voice the words, she couldn't. Air was rushing by far too fast. She moulded her body tighter against Inuyasha's, hiding her face in his mane of white hair to keep it from getting snagged by the branches of the trees they were running through. She wanted to glance behind to see if Sango and Miroku were following, but she was paranoid that she'd be hit in the head by a branch and go flying off Inuyasha's back. 'They're with Kirara, I'm sure they're safe.' she tried to reassure herself. Suddenly they stopped, Inuyasha's body swaying lightly on the small branch he was balancing on.

"What is it?" she whispered next to his ears. He didn't answer. She was about to ask again when she heard him sniffing the air. "Inuyasha…?" she asked.

"I think we're safe. I don't smell them anymore." He replied, jumping deftly to the ground and placing her back on her feet. She felt her knees trying to readjust to walking. They had been running for at least half an hour now. While they were searching for the last few remaining pieces of the jewel shard, a horde of demons came out of nowhere and attacked them. Even with the Tetsusaiga they were no match for the onslaught. They ran and didn't look back. Kagome smiled when she saw the thick form of Kirara come into view, Sango and Miroku walking beside her.

"We didn't see any more of them." Miroku called. Inuyasha nodded.

"We'll I'm going to go and look around, just in case." He said before jumping back into the trees. Sango and Kagome set out to make camp with the few supplies they had saved before their flight from the previous camp. When Inuyasha returned the sun was already steadily disappearing into the horizon.

"Find anything?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"The only thing around here is a small deserted village off to the east, and a lake a little to the west. No threats there." Kagome got up and stretched, then picked up her bag and began to walk off to the west. Before she could even set her path, Inuyasha had jumped in front of her, his movement a mass of white and red blurs.

"And just where do you think _you're_ going?" he asked, obvious displeasure in his gold eyes.

"I'm going to bathe in the lake. You said there were no threats." She replied, walking past him.

"Hey just wait a second! We were just attacked by a gang of demons, and you want to go take a bath?" Kagome's only response was to keep walking. "Kagome! At least take Kirara or someone with you."

"Kirara is worn out from the run today. If you must be so insistent, then Shippo can come with me, won't you Shippo?" she called. The boy shook his head excitedly and then ran over to where the two were standing.

It took a few more minutes of arguing, ending with a few 'sits' before Kagome was at the lake with Shippo.

"Okay. Close your eyes." she said. She watched as he covered his eyes. After stripping of her clothes, Kagome sank into the cool water, letting her hair sink farther and farther in.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Shippo called, and Kagome laughed, forgetting that she had left him there with his eyes covered.

"Sure Shippo." She said, and then dunked her head underwater. She tried to open her eyes under the water, but it was too dark to see anything. She stayed under for a while, proud that she could hold her breath for so long. She always loved how her hair floated in the water. It was like being a mermaid. When she finally felt the burning starting in her lungs, she pushed herself upwards, coughing a bit as she broke the surface.

"How long was I under there, Shippo?" she called. To her it felt like an eternity. But no answer came. She got as far up in the water as she dared and looked around.

"Shippo? Shippo!" she yelled, but the silence fell in thick around her, the air almost sickeningly still. Leaving her modesty behind in the face of fear, she stood straight up in the water. And then she saw him. He seemed to be passed out by one of the large rocks surrounding the lake. His colourful robes were torn. She ran out of the water and went over to him, shaking him. Regaining her composure she went to pick him up and take him back to the camp.

But suddenly the back of her neck felt very itchy. She reached a hand back to scratch it, and then froze when her fingers felt a cool metal dart-like object lodged into her neck.

"Inuya…" was all she got out before she collapsed to the ground.

XoXoXoX

"Kagome! Shippo!" Sango yelled. They were all out in the woods searching for the pair, who had been gone far longer than usual.

Sango was the first person to reach the lake. She almost instantly saw Shippo lying by a large rock.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled, and could hear the faint rustling of the trees as he ran through them. He was quickly beside her, running with her over to Shippo. She picked him up and cradled him in her lap, glad to feel a firm pulse in his neck.

"Where's Kagome, Shippo?" Inuyasha demanded, his voice rough and laced with worry. The little bundle murmured.

"What?" They said in unison, both of them dropping their ears down to his level. He barely whispered this time.

"Na…Naraku…"

XoXoXoX

The first thing she noticed was how cold the floor was against her flesh. Before humiliation overtook her she realized she was wrapped in a blood red sheet, but it wasn't large enough to cover most of her body from the cold. She looked around and saw that she was in a small room with only a small torch in the corner giving any light. Its dim flickering caused grotesque shadows to dance around the ceiling. Moonlight came through the bars at the end of the room. _'What…am I in a prison or something?' _She turned back to survey the room even more.

"You're awake." She turned to see a tall man, dressed in a loose-fitting yukata holding a tray. She resigned herself to silence. He sighed and pushed the tray under the bars. "Eat this. It's an order from the boss." He said before leaving the room. She looked down at the tray and wrinkled her nose. _'No way in hell am I going to eat this…'_ She walked over to the bars and began to shake them violently, panic finally hitting her. When she was exhausted she crashed to the ground against the barred door and held herself while her body trembled. She turned to watch the moonlight filter through the window.

XoXoXoX

"Inuyasha slow down!" Sango screamed, clutching onto Miroku even tighter, trying to keep a good hold of the still comatose Shippo. Kirara was running as fast as she could, but anger and fear made Inuyasha run much faster.

"He's going to wear himself out! He can't do this twice in one day." Miroku, ever rational, said. And lo and behold he knew he was right as he watched the figure of Inuyasha crash to the ground. As soon as Kirara came to a halt, Sango rushed over to him, sitting Shippo gently on the ground.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, reaching out to find his pulse, her hand snapping back when she felt how rapidly it was beating.

"We gotta find her. Let's go." He said breathily, trying to stand. Sango pushed him back down and then looked up to Miroku for help.

"Inuyasha, you've been running full speed for way too long tonight. As much as I hate to say it, we can't go any further. Besides, we don't even know where to begin searching." Miroku said, helping his friend into a sitting position.

"Sesshoumaru's palace. I bet that bastard knows where she is."

"Well go to sleep then. We'll go there tomorrow." Sango said, but her words fell on deaf ears, for Inuyasha had already fallen into a deep, if not troubled, sleep.

Miroku sat down and put his arms around Sango as she leaned against him.

"You think she's okay?" she asked, wishing desperately that she knew where Kagome was, not only to go and save her, but also to quell Inuyasha's growing fear that she was dead.

"I'm sure she is." Miroku replied, putting as much conviction into the words as he could muster. He sounded so sure that even _he_ believed it to be true.

XoXoXoX

Dawn was breaking. Kagome had watched the light change all night, a stillness folding over that slowed her breathing but wasn't powerful enough to let her body rest.

It wasn't until full sunlight that she heard the uproar of noise in the hallway. She jumped when she heard the heavy door that lead into the room in front of the bars slam open. Half a dozen men poured in, another man stretched between them.

Kagome's heart sank. All she could see was the white hair and the red yukata. _'They've killed him!' _She was about to begin screaming when her mind finally cleared and she could focus more. She saw that there were no ears jutting out of the hair, and that the figure didn't wear a red yukata, but rather a graceful white kimono stained in blood.

"Sesshoumaru…" she said quietly. She was stunned. She had never seen him bleed before. One of the guards laughed at her.

"Yep, the Demon Lord himself. It was quite a task taking this one down. Naraku had to take the form of the little orphan he keeps with him. Open the door." he said to one of the few guards still standing. Kagome saw that most of the men were wounded, some of them ghastly pale. The guard unlocked the door leading into the cell, giving Kagome a harsh glare. She felt her usually boldness returning and glared right back.

"Don't you run."

"Yeah right. Like I'd be stupid enough to run with a dozen guards in the room." She mocked. It wasn't until they threw Sesshoumaru's body on the ground in front of her that she realized they meant for them to be cell-buddies.

"Wait a minute! You're putting him in here?" The guards laughed once again.

"Yeah. And I'd be careful when he wakes up, he's probably going to be one pissed demon. Have fun girly." With that they locked the door and then left the room.

Kagome was left staring at his bloody body in the morning light. Kagome had never been one for blood. At first she thought he was dead, but upon closer inspection she saw the faint rising and falling of his chest. The smell of blood finally hit her nose and she crawled back to the corner, her hand at her nose.

As soon as she thought she couldn't take the sight and smell of such carnage any more, the guard walked through the door, carrying another tray. _'He can't expect me to eat right now…'_ He pushed the tray through but instead of a bowl of soup like last time, now it was a large bowl of water with a rag.

"Boss says to clean him up."

"Absolutely not! I can't touch that!" she screeched. She had cleaned and bandaged Inuyasha, sure, but something seemed horribly wrong about doing the same to his brother.

"Boss says you have to or else he'll come down here and kill you. Now do it." He said, walking out the door. Kagome sighed. Even though she didn't know who this 'boss' was, she knew that he really wouldn't mind hurting her. She crawled over to Sesshoumaru and looked down at him. His armour had been removed and there was a large wound on his chest. His spill of platinum hair shrouded around him, and when Kagome saw the splatters of blood on it, she felt sick. She went to work on him like she would to Inuyasha.

She pulled the Kimono off of his chest, thankful that there didn't seem to be any wounds below the waist. The thick material pulled off of his body with a rip, the blood causing it to congeal to his skin. Once his upper body was stripped she took the rag and began to clean the blood off, careful to check the wound every once in a while to make sure no new blood was seeping out. When she went to clean his hair she worked especially hard, finding it almost blasphemous to have blood on it. When she had cleaned all the blood off of him, she couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair. She was expecting it to be rough, like Inuyasha's, but when she touched it there was nothing but pure silk that could have been smoother, softer.

"…so nice…" she muttered, not aware she had spoken out loud.

"Surprised?" a soft voice said out of nowhere. She whipped her gaze to his now open eyes.

She didn't think she had ever felt fear like she did at that moment.

A/N - Wooo. That's the end of that chapter. Now review please! Lol.


	2. I'm With You

A/N - Wow, I was surprised at the number of reviews I got for the first chapter. Thanks everyone!

**I'm with You**

_Isn't anyone trying to find me?  
Won't somebody come take me home  
It's a damn cold night  
Trying to figure out this life  
Wont you take me by the hand  
take me somewhere new  
I don't know who you are  
but I... I'm with you_

**_Avril Lavigne_**

"Surprised?" a soft voice said out of nowhere. She whipped her gaze to his now open eyes.

She didn't think she had ever felt fear like she did at that moment. She felt her heart hammering in her chest. Kagome crab walked back to a corner in the cell, wanting to be as far away from her enemy as possible. Sure he was badly wounded, but she had come to learn that it was very unwise to think Sesshoumaru was ever out of the game.

She watched as he struggled to sit up. She felt a hot blush creep onto her face as she noticed how the soft early morning light danced on his wet, naked upper body. _'Oh come on Kagome!'_ she mentally screamed at herself, drawing her knees up and burying her face in them.

"I really think that I am in no position to cause harm." He muttered, his voice soft yet utterly emotionless. Kagome peeked up at him and felt her blush deepen when she saw him staring at her. "Why are you doing that?" he asked. Kagome debated on whether or not to actually speak or to just sit there and continue to act like she _wasn't_ in a cell wearing nothing but a sheet and with her arch-enemy half-naked and wet and staring at her. She decided to just suck it up and speak.

"Doing what?" she asked, cautiously raising her head to peek at him. She couldn't help but notice the colour of his eyes. Inuyasha's were gold in colour, but Sesshoumaru's were truly golden. _'Must be a demon thing…'_ she thought.

"Huddling in the corner. I just told you I couldn't cause you harm." he said, letting his gaze wander over her, only vaguely interested in why she only wore a sheet barely big enough for a small child.

"I am not huddling!" Kagome snapped, her old stubbornness coming through. Sesshoumaru shrugged and they both let silence descend on them.

Kagome began to shiver as the breeze through the window started to turn icy. They could hear thunder rolling outside. _'Just great…that's just what I need, a thunderstorm…'_ Kagome thought. She was about to say it out loud when she saw her cell-buddy stand up. She sighed and looked back down at the floor, trying to control her shivering as she played with little rocks that she had piled up by her feet. It wasn't until she saw him untying his obijime and letting it fall to the ground that she started to get a little worried.

"What are you doing!" she screeched, her face reddening so much that she felt it was on fire. Sesshoumaru slid the outer part of his kimono off of his body, making sure to keep the plain white fabric under it still in place. He handed the article of clothing to her.

"You're cold." was the only response he offered. Kagome took it, unsure of what to say, all of her words flying out the window as a particularly heavy wind shrieked into the room. Sesshoumaru turned and put his obijime back in place, securing the fabric. While his back was turned Kagome dropped the thin red sheet and put the kimono on, surprised at how heavy it was. She tied the sheet around her waist to keep it in place. She felt instantly warmer with the material covering her body. She turned to see that Sesshoumaru was sitting back down, his eyes closed.

"Thank you…" she said, unsure of if heard her or not. She couldn't help but stare at him while his eyes were closed. She was surprised at just how delicate his face looked with his slender jaw and delicate nose. His eyes were the only thing that saved his face from being utterly feminine. They were cold and fierce, and Kagome faintly knew that she never wanted to see him angry. She had seen him calm and complacent, but never really angry.

Exhaustion finally hit Kagome and she curled up into a ball, finding it surprisingly comfortable in the kimono. Before she felt it was unsafe to sleep in the cell, but now, with Sesshoumaru there, she felt oddly secure. She closed her eyes and finally let her body succumb to dreams.

**XoXoXoX**

"Rin! Unlatch the door, now!"

"No!"

"Rin!"

"NO! Not until Sesshoumaru gets back!" the little girl yelled. Jaken grumbled angrily and walked off and down the stairs. He entered the living room and sat down on the only chair that wasn't covered in blood. He closed his eyes and rested his head on his hands.

He had taken Rin out for her daily walk. When they walked into the palace, there was blood everywhere, and no sign of Sesshoumaru. Rin had instantly gone into hysterics and locked herself in Sesshoumaru's room. She had been in there ever since.

Jaken got up and walked back to the locked door, putting his ear up to it. He could hear her soft crying.

"Rin?" There was no answer. "Rin, I'm going to go and find Inuyasha. Surely he knows what has happened. Stay here, you know where food is. I'll be back soon…hopefully." he added. He made sure she had food in the kitchen, and then he walked back outside, determined to find Inuyasha, and determined to make him help in the search for Sesshoumaru.

**XoXoXoX**

When Kagome awoke it was already night. She wondered how long she had been sleeping. Tiredness was still etched into her bones, making her almost too weak to stand up. She stretched as much as she could and then looked around the cell for Sesshoumaru. She found him standing by the bars, his shadow stretching long and thin in the moonlight. She saw that he had put his robe on completely. _'Well that's stupid…that wound needs fresh air to heal.'_

"You're awake." he said. He didn't turn to her, but Kagome knew that somehow all his attention was on her.

"I am. I see the stuff they're trying to pass for soup is here." she said, walking over to him and lightly tapping the tray by her feet. Now it had two bowls of soup on it…well…at least _something_ that looked like soup. Kagome stood next to him and gazed out the window, watching the fireflies light up outside. She was almost sad when he broke the silence.

"I don't know yet how to escape." his voice was cold and distant, but Kagome knew that it must have been devastating to him that he hadn't figured out a way to get out of the cell yet. She turned to him.

"Well that's alright. We'll figure something out. But while we're waiting you really need to get some air on your wound." Without really thinking she reached over to him and began to pull the robe off of his shoulders. It wasn't until she saw the broad expanse of his chest that she realized that she was undressing the enemy. Her hands froze and she felt a blush rise all over her body. "I am so sorry! I'm just tired and discombobulated." she dropped the cloth, causing it to slide down his arms. When she dared a peek at his face, she could have sworn she saw amusement dancing across his features. She never really realized how tall he was, but standing this close she had to strain her neck to look up at him. She couldn't deny that she wanted to lay her tired head against his chest and rest, but she restrained herself. But when the heavy door slammed open without warning, she jumped into his arms anyway. A guard came round the corner, and when he saw them, a huge smile played on his face. _'Who can blame him…here I am in Sesshoumaru's kimono, clutching onto him while he's practically nude…' _she thought, and started to come up with a tart remark, but it was quelled by Sesshoumaru's hand on her back, slowly but gently pushing her away from him, and then behind him, as if to protect her.

"You two getting cosy?" he asked, the grin still there. Sesshoumaru stayed quiet, looking the man over. Kagome stayed behind him, not really worried, and tried to pick the pebbles out of his hair without him noticing. She felt strangely at ease with him practically guarding her, granted he probably didn't care anything for her. "Not speaking? Well that's okay. The boss wants to talk to you both." he said, spitting something dark onto the ground. Kagome gagged and he laughed, and then walked away.

"Well, now we get to see the-"

"Get into the corner." Sesshoumaru cut her off. He knew who 'the boss' was, and for some reason he couldn't explain to himself, he wanted to keep the girl from getting killed. She reminded him of Rin. Kagome felt the first icy tendrils of fear crawl into her blood, but she did what he asked and she backed into the corner.

When the figure appeared from around the corner, she could feel her skin crawl with the evil that radiated from his skin, and almost instantly she knew who it was.

"Naraku…" she said quietly. The figure finally came into full view and she could see the amused look on his face.

"How do you do, Kagome?" he asked, his voice holding back laughter. Kagome glared at him.

"Why did you kidnap me?" she demanded, walking forward, but a glance from Sesshoumaru kept her back. The glance did not go unnoticed by Naraku. The demon looked at Sesshoumaru, and then over to Kagome. He let a chuckle escape his lips.

"My, you two already get to know each other that quickly?"

"What do you want?" Sesshoumaru's voice broke Naraku out of his laughing. Kagome's had to suppress a gasp upon hearing the malice that Sesshoumaru put into his voice. _'I've never heard him so emotional. He must really not like Naraku. Heh, jump on the bandwagon…' _Naraku moved closer to the bars, a hard breath away from where Sesshoumaru stood.

"I have my reasons for keeping you here. And I really don't think you're in any position to question me." he said. Before Sesshoumaru could react, Naraku had whipped his hand forward, thrusting two fingers into his stab wound. Sesshoumaru hissed and leaned forward, grabbing onto the bars. Kagome ran forward and grabbed Naraku's hand, but his other arm pushed her back onto the floor.

"Stay back." Sesshoumaru said quietly. Kagome was shocked at how still his voice was, even though she knew that he must be in some serious pain. She almost wanted to yell at him, to tell him to just scream and get it over with. Naraku pulled Sesshoumaru towards him, and whispered something in his ear. Kagome watched as he moved slightly away from his ear, suspecting that he was going to say more, but instead he placed his lips on Sesshoumaru's. The white-haired demon pushed against the bars and got free of him, crashing to the ground. He wiped his mouth on his bare arm. Naraku let out a grim chuckle.

"I'd watch your actions, my Lord, the girl is expendable." And with that he left the room.

**XoXoXoX**

"We should be there in a little over a day." Miroku said, glancing at the sky. He looked back and saw Sango, gently holding Shippo. He could see the faint traces of worry in her face. Inuyasha was far behind her, walking alongside Kirara. There wasn't a smile in the place. _'Of course there's not, you idiot, Kagome was just kidnapped and she could be dead right now. Or worse.' _he scolded himself. He was sure that Naraku could do worse things than just kill people, and he was praying vehemently that she wasn't being tortured.

**XoXoXoX**

Fear had finally hit Kagome full force. She knew that in his current state, Sesshoumaru was no match for Naraku. And Naraku had said she was 'expendable'. She watched the white-haired demon. He stood against the wall, blood travelling down his body, staining his white pants. He was still shirtless, and Kagome could see how red and puckered his injury was now.

"I can smell the fear on you." he said, disgusted. He hated the smell of fear. It was always oozing off of humans. The pathetic creatures didn't know how to handle anything.

"Well excuse me for being a little freaked out. Naraku wants to kill me. I think I'm just in having a little breakdown, here, okay?" she snapped back. She wished Inuyasha was with her, or even Miroku or Sango. She needed someone's arms to hold her and save her. The cold statue that was in the cell with her certainly wasn't going to do that.

"Maybe he won't make it too painful." he said mockingly. He didn't have time to react before Kagome's small palm connected with his face with a loud 'slap'.

"How dare you!" she yelled. She saw the faint red outline of her hand show on his pale cheek. It was almost slow motion as she watched as his arm shot up and grabbed her arm, pulling her down to the ground. He pounced on top of her held her down by the arms, his sharp nails digging into her skin, close to breaking the surface. She felt the warm gush of blood that was draining onto her stomach. A stillness came over her. _'I think I'm in shock…'_ she thought dazedly.

"Unless you can suggest some way to get us out of here, then we're probably both going to die. Live with it. That it unless my precious brother can get here on time. Other than that poor option, we've really no choice." he whispered by her ear. It was the closest he could get to saying that he was far too injured to come up with a solution to the dilemma. Kagome's fighting spirit seemed to leave her. She felt her body go completely limp, and she stared into his golden eyes without reserve.

"Well…what about Rin? You'd leave her to die?" she asked. She saw his eyes momentarily widen, as if he hadn't really given it much thought. He released her arms and rolled off of her, an exhaustion taking him over. "We're not defeated yet." she continued, rolling over on her side to look at him. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw him bathed in the moonlight. His white hair had spilled all over the floor, some of it covering her body. His chest was covered in blood that glistened in the moonlight. She only then paid attention to how nude he was; almost completely save for the pants, which were steadily falling down. She thought about Inuyasha when he was wounded and looked practically the same, except Inuyasha was _naked,_ Sesshoumaru was graceful enough to pull off being _nude._ There was a huge difference between the two. Only when she looked into his glazed eyes did she realize the severity of his wound. It was unsettling to see someone she thought was infallible sitting next to her on the brink of death.

"You need to stop the bleeding. You're going to die." she said, surprisingly calmly. She sat up and looked around for something to press against the wound to stop the heavy flow and could find nothing. Her heart began to race with the overwhelming need to keep him alive. _'I need him to help me. That's the only reason.'_ she told herself. She stood up and began to disrobe, all the while staring him straight in the eye, making sure he didn't suddenly die on her. She undid the red sheet and then slid the kimono off. She wrapped the sheet around her body, tucking it in tightly. She gathered up the kimono and crouched by the sweating body of Sesshoumaru. _'Damn, there's not enough pressure…'_ she cursed when she put the cloth against the wound.

Sighing, she flipped him gently onto his back and put the cloth on the wound. Positioning herself above him, she slowly lowered her body on top of his, using her chest to apply pressure to the cloth.

"Damnit Sesshoumaru, you better not die on me after all this." she said by his ear.

She found it oddly easy to go to sleep that night.

**XoXoXoX**

You know the routine. Review please! Thanks.

By the way, an obijime is the belt that holds the obi of a kimono in place, for those who don't know.


	3. No One's There

**No One's There**

_You and me  
We have no faces  
Soon our lives they'll be erased  
Do you think they will remember?  
Or will we just be replaced?  
Oh I wish that I could see,  
How I wish that I could fly  
All the things that hang above me  
To a place where I can cry_

**_KoRn_**

He stifled a low growl as he felt raindrops splashing against his flesh. Opening his eye a crack he saw thunderclouds gathering outside the window. The breeze was carrying in the icy rain. Sesshoumaru shifted, and then froze when he felt the heavy mass on top of him fidget. Tilting his head he saw thick, raven hair spilled out over him. _'The girl...what is she doing?_'he asked himself. He tried to lift himself up and toss the human onto the floor, but his chest pained him too much. He was stuck.

"Five more minutes…" she muttered sleepily. Kagome shifted on top of him, burying her face in his neck. She was teetering on that annoying edge between sleep and awareness. Sesshoumaru let out a low sigh and place a hand on either of her arms, giving her a light shake. She jumped off of him, her dark eyes shooting open. They were glazed over in sleep and now pain. Sesshoumaru saw that she had dark and nasty bruises on her arms where he had attacked her the previous day. He sat up and stayed quiet, almost annoyed with the feeling in his gut that told him to tell her he was sorry. Instead he settled for asking her why she was wearing the sheet again.

"I used the kimono to press against your wound, you know, to stop the bleeding. You must not remember. You lost a lot of blood." she replied, crawling over to him. She began to peel off the fabric that his blood had crusted to the skin. She felt nausea wash over her when she heard the ripping of the skin in some of the harder to detach areas. "I'm sorry if I'm hurting you." she muttered. He put a hand on hers and gently moved her away before ripping off the cloth hastily. She grunted in disapproval and placed her hand on his chest and began to check the area for more bleeding or infections. Sesshoumaru was glad she wasn't looking at his face, glad she couldn't see that his eyes widened whenever her fingertips caressed his skin. She stopped her inspection and sat back on her knees, letting the rain spatter on her mostly bare body. Silence fell between them, this time being very awkward.

"You didn't have to help me." he broke the stillness, careful not to look directly at her. He didn't like how his brother's pet human was affecting him.

"Yes I did. We're partners now, and you don't let partners die. It's rule number one." she replied lightly, trying to brighten his mood. He seemed defeated almost, though his voice and expression would betray nothing. _'Something's wrong…he won't even look at me menacingly anymore.'_

A sudden burst of boldness hit Kagome with force. She reached out and took his hand, almost gasping in surprise at how soft and delicate it was. She could feel every bone in it. A growl broke her out of her reverie.

"What are you doing?" he asked, eyeing her with suspicion.

"Trying to show you that having a friend is alright sometimes. Even if it is human. Now we can either argue about it, or you can shut up and help me try to figure all of this out. And I think you owe me one since I just saved your life." She replied, with each word getting bolder and bolder. Sesshoumaru snatched his hand back and looked at her, trying to understand her motives. _'Why is she acting so nice? No one would willingly pair with me.' _he thought, a dim, unfamiliar pang of emotion hitting him.

"Fine. What did you have in mind?"

**XoXoXoX**

The palace itself was not what made their mouths drop open. The intricate hedge maze was what made their lips drop down in amazement. They were standing on marble steps that led down into the maze. From their elevation they could see a great fountain in the centre. Two huge rose trellises guarded the entrance to the maze. It looked like he hadn't been traversed in years.

"Enough gawking, let's go inside." came Inuyasha's gruff voice. Miroku could hear the pure anger hidden behind those words. It was going to be tough to keep him from rushing inside and killing Sesshoumaru the moment they laid eyes on him.

"Alright, but let me go first." the monk responded, walking in front of the group. He walked up the stairs leading to the grand entrance and pushed open the door.

The first thing any of them noticed was the smell of blood. It hung heavy and thick in the air.

"Look at it all…" Sango said as they stepped into the main room. She felt light-headed for a second. Dark blood was scattered all over the floor, some even dried onto the walls.

"It's mostly his…but not all of it. There was a battle here." Sango looked over to Inuyasha, who had his nose to the ground. Behind him, on the floor, something gleaming caught her eye.

"If that's what I think it is, then this can't be good…" she said, pointing to the object. Inuyasha looked in the direction and walked over to it. He shook his head as he picked up the bloody Tenseiga. Miroku was about to say something to Inuyasha, to utter any words of encouragement he could find, but he stopped when he saw his friend's ears twitching.

"What is it?"

"I hear someone crying." was all he said before he stormed off up a flight of stairs.

"I really wish he would stop doing that!" Sango yelled as she ran to catch up with him. When the finally found him he had his nose at the bottom of a door. As Miroku walked towards it he felt his skin prickling, as if telling him that to enter there was forbidden. _'Sesshoumaru's room…'_ he thought, part of him curious to see what was inside, the other part hesitant.

"It's locked." Inuyasha grunted, "But someone's in there."

"Well then let's just pick-" Sango's words of advice were cut off as Inuyasha used all his might to kick the heavy door open. A little girl screamed. Sango's maternal instincts caused her to run in front of Inuyasha into the room. She gasped. Sesshoumaru's room was white, pure white, down to the floor and the walls. There was a white desk sitting in the corner, oddly bare. The only other furnishing in the room was a high-backed white chair with gold inlay. The only thing out of place was the bed. It was a canopy bed, with scarlet silk strung from the ceiling and twirling around the ebony bedposts. The sheets were burgundy and looked like silk as well, and in the middle of the bed, huddling amongst the red and black pillows, was a little girl, her face pale from crying. Sango walked over to the girl and sat on the bed, sinking into its soft material.

"Wow. Not a lot of people have real beds, let alone nice ones like this." she heard Miroku say. Apparently the men had left her to deal with the girl.

"Hi. What's your name?" she asked, her voice dripping with sincerity. The girl looked at her, childlike curiosity blatant on her face. Her only reply was to bury her face in one of the lavish pillows. Sango tried again, "My name is Sango. Are you alright?" The girl looked up at her, torn between fear and wanting companionship. She frowned, a ridge forming between her eyebrows. Further urging from Sango caused the frown to deepen and the lines to wrinkle even more.

"Keep frowning like that, kid, and you'll end up looking like Jaken." Inuyasha said, suddenly behind Sango. Rin looked up at him, saw his long white hair and his gold eyes, and instantly liked him. She let out a long laugh.

"You look like Sesshoumaru!" she squealed.

"I'm his brother. Where is he? Do you know?" Sango shot him a look, trying to tell him he forgot something. "Oh and what's your name, kid?" The girl crawled over to him.

"Rin's my name! I don't know where he is, but I know he'll come back. He always does. Jaken went to search for him." she said, then confided in him about how Jaken had gone to look for some person called 'Inuyasha.'

"Well, looks like we must have passed him. It must be serious if Jaken actually wants to help." he contemplated.

"Who wants to bet that Naraku had something to do with this?" Miroku said, walking over to the group.

"Problem is we have no clue where he is…" Sango whispered, the odd feeling of defeat creeping into her. She looked into Inuyasha's face and found that his eyes were blank. She could only begin to understand just what he was feeling.

"Maybe if you had the right connections, you could easily find him." a voice, sickeningly sweet, came out of nowhere. The group turned to see Kagura, her red eyes blazing. Inuyasha quickly grabbed the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"What do you want?" he asked her. Sango grabbed Rin and clutched her tight, checking to make sure that Miroku had Shippo.

"I'm here to give you information about Naraku's whereabouts, that's all." she said sweetly, stalking into the room.

"And why would you want to help us?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well where is he then?" Inuyasha growled, almost aching to take a swing at her. Miroku glanced over at him, almost sure that this was a trap, but just as sure that Inuyasha knew but didn't care.

"Here. I'd get there soon, if I were you." she said, a laugh suppressed behind the words. She handed a piece of paper to Inuyasha and almost as quick as she had appeared, she was gone.

"Inuyasha this is foolish, you know that this is a trap." Miroku began, but he was quickly stopped by Inuyasha.

"I know. But we're going. If it's a trap then we'll fight our way out. Simple as that." he said before walking out of the room.

"What about Rin? We can't just leave her!" Sango said, trying to pull Rin's arms off from around her neck. Miroku said they'd take her and give her back to Sesshoumaru when they found him.

"I don't know about you, Sango, but I feel that we may be walking knowingly towards our death…"

**XoXoXoX**

When Naraku paid his second visit to the pair, they were ready. As soon as they heard his footsteps Kagome took her place in the corner, as Sesshoumaru stood by the bars, just as before. _'Please let this work!' _Kagome chanted in her head. It was risky, but thinking that it wasn't going to work wasn't going to get them anywhere. Naraku turned the corner, his dark eyes instantly searching out Sesshoumaru. She smiled when she saw a key hanging loosely on a chain on his neck. A smile played on his lips.

"No embrace today?" he asked mockingly, standing as close as he could get to Sesshoumaru. Kagome, though angered, let the comment slide. She had a script rehearsed, and after all the planning they put into it, she was not going to blow it by some stupid comment. She rushed to the bars and grabbed them, looking Naraku in the eyes.

"Please let me out, please. I'll do anything. What do you need me for anyway?" she asked, genuinely curious. He regarded her for an icy second before returning his gaze to the silent demon lord.

"It's true, the girl is expendable. All I needed was to lure Inuyasha here and as long as he believes she is here, he will come." he said, turning to look at Kagome. "But that certainly doesn't mean I can just let you go." _'Go figure. He wants to kill Inuyasha. What's new?' _she thought, almost smiling. The list of people who had a grudge against Inuyasha was growing a lot faster than he was killing them. She waited for Sesshoumaru to speak his lines.

"Then why am I here?" he said, making his voice sound as bored as he could manage. Kagome acted annoyed at his question.

"Because you've beaten me before. I'm stronger now and I don't see why I shouldn't add you to the mix." Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru, saw his brows knit a little. He was confused.

"So you want to kill two birds with one stone?" She said icily. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had beaten Naraku before, no doubt it bruised he ego and he wanted to take them out in a dramatic fight. Sesshoumaru glared at her. She wasn't following the plan. She cleared her throat and began again.

"So kill _him_, let me go. Please! What do you want me to do? I'll do whatever you want…" she said, letting her voice trail and leaving the question open. She raised her eyebrow suggestively, knowing that she wasn't the one that he wanted. And of course, he voiced her thoughts.

"I'm sorry Kagome, but you're not…my type." He said. Sesshoumaru wished vehemently that he wasn't so weak. He only agreed to the stupid plan because he felt the need to get Kagome out of the cell, a need that had become a goal after she declared herself his friend. Even so, he was against it until she played viciously on his sense of practicality.

"Fine, then take _him_. Let me out. I'm clearly not needed." she said, nodding in Sesshoumaru's direction. Naraku let out a low chuckle.

"Once again, I'm sorry Kagome, but I don't think you're companion here would agree to your plan."

"Why don't you ask me?" Sesshoumaru asked him. The question caught Naraku by surprise, but he quickly covered it by sneering at him. He didn't say anything. "If it will get her out of here, I can't see the harm in humouring you."

"Then humour me." he said, his voice daring Sesshoumaru. Kagome moved slightly closer to them, hoping Sesshoumaru would keep up his part of the deal. He walked forward, placing a hand on either side of the bar, and only Kagome could see the slight hesitation. She remembered what she said to him earlier _'Remember. It's practical. If it gets us out, who cares what measures need to be taken? Don't you want to see Rin again?' _She knew it was cruel, but she needed to get out. She watched as he leaned forward and laid his lips on Naraku's. She jumped when the dark-haired demon placed his hand on Sesshoumaru's neck, pulling him closer. She felt heat rush up to her face as she stood there, frozen, watching them kiss. Sesshoumaru ran his hand over Naraku's chest, up to his neck, up to the key. She watched him deftly use a sharp nail to slice through the thread that held the key to the chain, grabbing it before it could fall. Naraku didn't notice anything. Now she needed to save Sesshoumaru.

"Enough!" she yelled, pretending to be horrified. Naraku looked at her, his lips red, and thin rivulet of blood running from the top one. _'I always knew Sesshoumaru was rough…'_ she caught herself thinking, feeling another wave of heat course through her. "Now let me go." she said, knowing that he wouldn't.

"No. It's more fun to have you watch. I'll be back later." he said maliciously, turning the corner, never once checking to see if the key was still there. Kagome felt joy burst through her, making her want to jump up and down like she had never jumped before. Even the dank cell seemed liveable. She almost laughed when she looked over to Sesshoumaru. His face betrayed nothing but she could sense that he was severely pissed. She tried to stifle her laugh but it didn't help. Her body was racked with giggles.

"It's not funny."

"Oh yes it is. Cheer up! You just took one for the team." she reassured him. In a rush of 'going with the flow' she bounded over to him and did the last thing she ever thought she would do in her life, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a light peck on the lips. She froze and felt his body tense. She looked up at him, almost scared.

"I'm sorry…I…" she couldn't come up with a rational thought. Truth was she didn't have one.

"Let's go." he said, brushing past her and unlocking the door. She was almost annoyed by how he didn't seem to care that she just kissed him. _'What, like I want him to care?' _she scolded herself. And then it dawned on her. How was she going to get back to Inuyasha?

"Where will we be going?" she asked him, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"I am going home. You can go wherever you please." he said, starting to walk away.

"Wait! You're not going to help me?"

"No."

"I have no clue where to find Inuyasha. Help me. I can't just go searching in the wilderness by myself." she pleaded, hating the sound of panic in her voice. Sesshoumaru hated to admit it to himself, but the panic caused him to hurt. He wanted to help her, but he couldn't openly say it.

"Fine. Come with me. When we reach my palace, Ah and Un will help you in your search. If I am correct, my home can't be more than a few days west of here." he replied, hoping she could understand his bitterness. She looked at him for a long few moments. _'I know I should be worried, but I'm not. That can't be good.' _"Well, do you want my help or not? I suggest you answer quickly as it is not offered very often. And Naraku will find out about our escape any minute. Time is against us." She stayed quiet, taking in the impact of his words, and then smiled, and though he hated to admit it, he was pleased.

"I'd like that; I'd like that very much."

**XoXoXoX**

**A/N - Wow, so many reviewers! That makes me uber happy. I know, I know, there isn't much Inuyasha and company, but there will be in the next chapter, I swear! Review please!**


	4. Head Over Feet

A/N: 50+ reviews for 3 chapters? Everyone who reviewed rocks. Thanks a lot.

Head Over Feet

You've already won me over in spite of me  
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
I couldn't help it  
It's all your fault  
**_Alanis Morissette_**

"So what are we supposed to do about Jaken?" Sango asked, only minutely interested. She was too busy trying to keep Rin in one place. The girl was a bundle of energy, and Sango had already grown tired of her. _'Well that can't be good; she's only been with us for less than an hour.'_ Miroku looked over and laughed as he watched Sango holding one of Rin's small legs, trying to keep her from running off.

"He won't be gone long. When he comes back I'm sure he'll stay here and mope until my brother returns." Inuyasha walked down the palace stairs, the scent of blood hanging heavy on him. He had been inside searching around, looking for any clue that Naraku left behind, but he had found none. He looked down at the piece of paper in his hands. It had directions and landmarks. "Well, apparently it's almost directly east of here. Let's go." he said and began to walk east. The rest of them followed, a sense of dread falling over them.

Not more than an hour later, the bundle of fur that Miroku carried began to stir.

"Hey! Shippo's moving." he called. They gathered round him. Shippo moved around so that his face was turned upwards. His eye slowly opened. A faint smile curved his lips when he saw all the concerned faces above him.

"What's up?" he said weakly, his voice cracking from no use. Everyone laughed, a fair amount of tension dripping off of them.

"Can you stand?" Miroku asked, aching to put him down. He had been carrying the kid for a while now and his arms were starting to cramp. Shippo muttered a 'yes' and Miroku put him on the ground, kneeling next to him to be there to catch him if he fell. Shippo was a little wobbly, but after taking a few steps, he seemed fine.

"Other than that concussion, I think you're alright." Sango said reassuringly, and that was when Shippo first caught sight of Rin. The little girl was beaming at him, practically vibrating with anxiousness to talk to him.

"Who are you?" he asked. After a few awkward moments that children face when first meeting each other, they walked behind everyone else, chatting away happily as the procession moved forward. Sango swore she was going to lose her mind if she looked back and saw them running off one more time. _'Well, at least some people are happy at the moment…'_ Miroku sighed, watching the sun set into the horizon. He heard the faint scolding of Sango. The children were really going to need to calm down, but he could understand. Shippo had a lot of pent up energy after being sick for a few days.

For those few moments he tried to forget about the immense danger they were all about to face.

XoXoXoX

The cold night air was almost unbearable. Her teeth were chattering and her eyes were watering with the wind. She looked ahead of her, wondering how her companion was doing. His white hair flowed out around him, a sleek silver whip. His robe was billowing around him, and she was sure his injury must hurt in the icy gusts, but he showed no pain. _'He hasn't even glanced back here to see if I'm still alive.'_ she though wryly. She cast her eyes to the ground and wished that they could travel during the day, but Sesshoumaru had ordered that they only travel by nightfall. Naraku could spot them easier in the daytime. With her eyes cast downwards, she didn't see Sesshoumaru stop, and thusly crashed into him. The impact knocked her backwards and she struggled to keep the sheet covering her. She was slightly annoyed when she saw that he hadn't moved at all.

"Well?" she asked angrily, grouchy because of the cold and of her own aching bones. She had travelled all this way without wearing shoes and her feet were sore.

"We'll camp here." was all he offered her as he sat down and closed his eyes. He was glad she didn't notice that his breathing was quick and shallow. His chest wound hurt terribly and now it was itching in the process of healing. He was surprised when she didn't make any tart remark about their camping ground, a small clearing in a wooded area. He glanced at her.

"Fine. I'll be going to sleep then." she said, sitting down and then laying on the ground. She was determined to tough it out as much as he was. She knew he was in pain and she was angry that he wouldn't ask her for help. _'We're partners. We help each other. Well if he doesn't want my help, then that is just fine with me.'_ she told herself, making her skin hot with anger. Things had gone sour between them. Kagome was one hundred percent positive that it was because of her kiss. She didn't mean it, she had just been so happy at leaving, and so thankful he had helped her. Of course, there _were_ other ways to say 'thank you' to someone, but kissing just seemed right. And even now, as she lay a distance away from him, shivering in the cold, she still wanted his companionship. She even admitted to herself that the kiss wasn't all that bad. She sighed and turned herself over so that her back was facing him.

Sesshoumaru watched her as she turned away. In the moonlight the angry bruises on her arms were even more grotesque. He felt guilt rise up in him, something he was starting to sincerely hate. Guilt wasn't something he was used to. It was too raw of an emotion, too purely human. A strong breeze suddenly whistled violently through the trees, causing his skin to rise and his eyes to water slightly. He looked over to Kagome and saw that her body had begun to violently shiver. He had known the whole trip that she was practically freezing to death, but she had said nothing, so he didn't bring it up, surprised at her strength of will. It was then that he was surprised at just how cold he himself was. He shrugged it off and lay down on his side, letting sleep take him over.

The cold woke her. She grunted angrily, cursing Mother Nature, and she turned to go yell at Sesshoumaru for picking the camp site. Her words died in her throat when she looked at him. He was asleep, his face in peaceful repose, but he was shivering just as much as she was. _'This is stupid. I know how we can get warm.'_ she thought, getting up and walking over to him. She crouched down and picked up one of his heavy arms, knowing that he wouldn't feel it. She had come to realize the he was a very heavy sleeper. _'It's probably because he doesn't sleep all that much…'_ She laid herself gently next to him, putting his arm back down on top of her. She curled into his body and instantly felt warmer. Her eyes shot open when she felt his arm pull her closer into him. She wondered if he was awake, but his slow, deep breathing proved otherwise. She smiled, and then let herself sink into sleep.

XoXoXoX

"So?"

"So what?"

"Did you give it to him?"

"Of course I did." Kagura said, walking away from Naraku. Her red eyes seethed with an almost tangible hate for the man standing before her. She hated being bound to him. His dark eyes searched her face, finding amusement in her anger.

"Good. He'll be here soon then." he laughed, walking over to sit on one of the plush pillows in the main room of his palace. Kagura stayed standing, watching him. It wasn't until he took a drink out of a cup on the table that she noticed that there was no dungeon key on the chain hanging from his neck. She debated on whether or not to tell him. She let a smile onto her lips when she decided that he was better of not knowing. _'And besides, I don't want to be the only on in here when he realizes his key is missing. And I think I know where it is…'_ Kagura was broken out of her haughty reverie when there was a commotion in the lower floors. She could hear heavy footsteps running up the stairs. _'Damn! The guards probably know that Sesshoumaru has fled.' _Kagura thought. As soon as the guards busted through the door, she had quickly made her escape. She was sure that some death would occur tonight after Naraku found out. She let her thoughts drift to Sesshoumaru. _'What a clever man. I approve.'_

Naraku looked at the guard carefully, not liking the fear that leaked off of him. He raised an eyebrow, questioning the man.

"Sir, your prisoners have escaped." the guard said, his voice very audibly cracking. Naraku froze, staring at him, anger boiling over him until his skin was hot with it. He stood up and let his hand go to his neck. _'It's gone!'_ he yelled at himself for being so damned stupid. "What do you want us to do? Follow them?" the guard asked, taking a step back from Naraku.

"No. I'll go after them." he said. The guards visibly pulled themselves together, all of them feeling relatively safe now that Naraku had decided to go after them himself.

They discovered how very wrong they were when he started attacking.

When all of the bodies were beheaded, a very bloody Naraku walked out of his palace, determined to find his prisoners and make them pay for escaping him.

XoXoXoX

He felt something moving against him. He opened his eyes, angry that he had been disturbed. Looking up he saw that it was almost dawn. The growl died on his lips when he saw that Kagome had pressed her back into his stomach, as if trying to get as close to him as possible. He was surprised at how good it felt to wrap his arm around her and pull her body closer to his. He rested his chin on the top of her head and watched the sun come up.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. He was startled by her sudden words, and perturbed that she had awakened and he hadn't known it. He stayed quiet. Kagome just smiled at his silence, too happy to be angered by it. She felt warm and content laying there in his arms, watching the sun come up. _'I've never done this with Inuyasha. It's so peaceful.'_ she thought. She sat up slowly and turned to look at him, offering him a small smile.

"What?" he asked her, sitting up himself. She shook her head.

"Nothing." She saw suspicion in his eyes, and it really saddened her. "Why are you so suspicious of me?" she asked, truly curious to find out if she had done anything to warrant such behaviour.

"I am suspicious of everything. You're no exception." he replied, sitting up straighter, not taking his gaze from her face. For once, Kagome didn't feel scrutinized by it.

"That's no way to live." she said, having to raise her voice to be heard above the morning bird calls. She felt so at ease with the sunlight streaming warm and comforting on her. Sesshoumaru leaned up against a tree, hiding in the shade, still only a bare touch away from her.

"I've been living like that for a while." he finally replied, his voice softer than usual. Though there was no emotion in his voice, Kagome could feel the years of sadness packed into the words. She felt herself lean forward.

His froze when she placed her soft lips on his. He was surprised at her sudden boldness. He felt her hesitate, and then begin to break away, but he put his hands gently on her arms, below her bruises, and pulled her closer to him. She put her hands on either side of his face and then kissed him on the chin, the cheek, planting a kiss on each eyelid. She wanted to touch every part of his soft face. She laid one more kiss on his mouth before he gathered her up into his lap. She nuzzled her head into his neck and sighed in contentment, wondering when he was going to return to the cold Demon Lord who would pretend like none of this ever happened. It made her angry that he would shrug her off eventually, but she knew now that at least he wasn't made of stone like she had thought.

She closed her eyes, not caring about anything at the moment, save for his soft hand rubbing her back.

XoXoXoX

A/N - Wow that chapter did not want to be written. Sorry it's so short. Next one will be longer, I swear. Review please!


	5. Spade

Spade

You drained my heart  
And made a spade  
But there's still traces of me  
in your veins  
You drained my heart  
And made a spade  
But there's still traces of me  
in your veins  
**Marilyn Manson**

The silence that stretched between them was heavy, thick with unspoken words needing to get out. Kagome walked behind him, her arms wrapped around herself, giving her the much needed embrace that he wouldn't give. He had pushed her off of his body, sending her sprawling to the ground. He got up and said that they needed to continue on. They hadn't spoken since.

Sesshoumaru walked ahead of her, only vaguely aware of the sun beating down on them. He decided that, in the essence of time, they could travel by day, but very carefully, and only in the woods far off of the worn-down path. He felt himself sigh softly. He was lost in his own thoughts. He was unnerved by how easily he had opened up to her, almost annoyed by how much he liked to have her in his arms. The only good thing that had happened so far was that his wound had healed, leaving no scar. He felt his strength returning, happy that he could use his upper body again.

He glanced backwards when he was sure she wasn't looking. Her eyes were focused on the ground and he could smell defeat clinging to her skin. The smell disgusted him. He broke his gazing and looked in front of him. He knew they were getting closer to his palace. _'Damn Naraku. I should have known he would reside so close to me.'_ he thought icily, images flashing in his mind of what he wanted to do to the demon. But for now, all Sesshoumaru wanted to do was to go back to his home and sharpen his Tenseiga.

It was the next thought that found its way into his mind that made him stop in his tracks. _'Why haven't I thought of it before?'_ He had the girl, Inuyasha's love, whether he would admit it or not. He wanted the Tetsusaiga, and he knew Inuyasha would trade anything to save her. It seemed perfect. The feeling of loss that had befallen him and caused tension to clench in his shoulders suddenly melted away with his new revelation. His breath caught in surprise when he felt Kagome's hand on his shoulder. He turned slightly to look at her.

"What is it?" she asked. The only reply she got was the turn of his head, as if he was dismissing her, and then he turned and began to walk away. She felt annoyance creep into her, but she let it pass.

Neither of them spoke, but all of the unsaid things hovered around them, waiting to burst out.

XoXoXoX

"Stop it will you!" Inuyasha yelled, shaking his leg. When Sango turned to look at what the source of his plight was, she was amused to see Rin clutching to his leg desperately.

"Inuyasha! Stop it!" she yelled, running over to them. Inuyasha stopped and glared at Sango. She bent over and grabbed onto Rin, trying to pull her from Inuyasha's leg, but the small child held on tight.

"What's wrong, Rin?" Sango asked, still trying to pry her off of Inuyasha, who was becoming very vile about the whole situation.

"I miss Sesshoumaru!" she wailed, her voice rising to the high pitch that only young children can reach. Inuyasha covered his ears and growled. Miroku, along with Shippo on his shoulder, came out of the woods, ending their search for water, and watched the spectacle in faint amusement.

"I know Inuyasha looks like Sesshoumaru a little, but he isn't, so let him go, Rin." she said, trying to soothe the frantic child. The girl finally relented and accepted being scooped up into Sango's arms. Inuyasha grunted and started moving forward again, everyone following him.

Then he caught the faint scent. He stopped, his nose twitching, scenting the air. He didn't hear Miroku walk up next to him.

"What is it?" the monk asked, his body tensing for a battle. Inuyasha shook his head. He didn't really know. It smelled familiar, a scent almost matching his own but tweaked a little. With it there was something else, but so faint that he couldn't place it. Walking forward he finally figured out what it was.

"Sesshoumaru…" he said softly, lost in his own thoughts of how that could be.

"You smell him? That's improbable…he was injured and taken by Naraku." Miroku said. Inuyasha turned to look at him. Then his eyes found the girl. He walked over to Rin, his nose twitching. He sighed. Sesshoumaru's scent was on her as well, but only faintly.

"You're right…I think I just smell her. Let's keep going." he said, ushering the others forth.

No one saw the gleam of the faint red eyes, the owner far enough out of Inuyasha's sense of smell. Kagura smiled, her mind set. She leaped off the branch and went in search of Sesshoumaru.

XoXoXoX

He cursed silently as yet another twig caught him above his eye. He had smelled his brother out on the path, and as a precaution he had dragged Kagome deeper into the woods. Now wasn't the time to spring his trap. A glance backward proved that Kagome was doing no better than he was. Her body was covered with scrapes from the many thorny plants that littered the ground.

"Why are we going this way?" she asked angrily, causing him to stop and turn to her. She froze at the utter emptiness left in his eyes.

"Safety." he said, turning to put his back to her. She expected him to keep moving but he didn't. She asked him what he was up to.

"We can get there soon. Get on my back. It'll be faster." he said. She looked at him inquiringly, unsure of what to do. Letting out a sigh she hoisted herself onto his back, hooking her legs around his middle, grabbing onto his broad shoulders for support. He jumped into the air and began running through the tree branches at a speed that made Kagome's stomach churn. _'Inuyasha's never gone _this_ fast!'_ she thought, burying her face in Sesshoumaru's hair to keep it from getting snagged by branches. Against her will she couldn't help but notice the curve of his back, the strength in his shoulders. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thought, revelling in the air that whipped her hair around. He seemed to have been running for hours before finally he stopped.

The sudden lack of rushing air was what got Kagome to look around. She gasped when she saw the grand palace that lay before her. It was a grand Celtic castle, standing tall and proud, separated into two buildings, both of them. A large central bridge connected the two main buildings. Off to the right she could see an intricate hedge maze, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen.

"It's beautiful." she said softly, more to herself than Sesshoumaru. She slid off of his back, careful not to snag his hair.

"Let's go inside." he said, walking off towards the steps that lead to the main palace doors.

"Wait! What about helping me find Inuyasha?" she yelled, walking over to him. The look in his eyes made her worry. They were dull and completely withdrawn.

"No." he said, continuing to look at her. There was a multitude of emotions running through him. He wanted to help her, felt the need to make sure she got back safe, but at the same time he wanted the Tetsusaiga more than anything. He shied away from the hurt look in her eyes.

"But you told me you would!" she said, anger making her voice soft and hissing. She didn't have time to respond before his fist connected with her face, causing her to crumble to the ground, splotches of colour invading her sight.

"Plans change." he said before blackness took her over.

He picked up her limp form. He could already see the light bruise forming on her face and he resisted the urge to rub her cheek lightly. He shook himself of the urge and walked inside.

He honestly hated himself at that moment.

XoXoXoX

A/N - Wow, I've gotten so many reviews. It's awesome! Yeah, sorry if this chapter sucked, I had a lot more planned but it would have been too much too soon, so just consider this a 'filler' chapter. Review please!


	6. Heart of Glass

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Heart Of Glass

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Once I had a love and it was a gas  
Soon turned out he had a heart of glass  
Seemed like the real thing, only to find  
Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind  
**_Blondie_**

The air in the Throne Room was cold and empty, deadly silent. The drop of a pin would echo loudly all the way up to the high cathedral ceiling. The room was bare, only a huge rug covering its vast floor. Stairs on the west side of the room led up to the single gilded chair. The figure that sat in the chair was immobile with anger, his sharp claws digging into the armrests. He practically vibrated with the heat of fury. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on his goal of getting the Tetsusaiga, but nothing could focus him, nothing could make him not want to hunt down his brother and murder him in the most grisly way possible. _'He has Rin.'_

After walking into his palace, Kagome dead to the world in his arms, he was greeted by Jaken, who had cowardly come back after not being able to find him. He could tell that the toad was hiding something. It wasn't until after placing Kagome in a spare bedroom that Jaken had come to him and told him that Rin was gone. He gave Sesshoumaru a letter that Inuyasha had written:

__

'Rin is safe with us, Jaken.'

It had made Sesshoumaru fly into a rage, causing Jaken to flee for his life, only to return shortly afterwards with words of advice, words that fell on deaf ears.

Since then Sesshoumaru had locked himself in his throne room, trying to restrain his anger. _'Soon I will have the Tetsusaiga and I can destroy that stain once and for all.'_ he thought, trying to soothe himself. He couldn't believe that his brother had the nerve to take something away from him. Rin was his to protect, and Inuyasha taking her was nothing but a blow to his pride, which he vehemently protected.

He decided that soon he would meet with Inuyasha, give him the ultimatum for the sword. _'He's heading for Naraku's castle.' _Though Sesshoumaru didn't trust him, he knew that Inuyasha would be smart enough to not go into Naraku's castle with his sword drawn and ready for battle. Especially not with Kagome's life supposedly at stake.

A knock on the door disturbed him. It echoed throughout the room, reaching his demon ears in a deafening roar. His eyes shot open, knowing full well who it was that came knocking. He stayed silent, waiting for Jaken to go away. He had made it very clear that no one was allowed to bother him while he was in the Throne Room, as he was most likely musing over some topic of interest. The knock came again, this time a little quieter, a little more uncertain. He stood and walked the long path over to the door, opening it slowly, menacingly. His eyes caught the form of Jaken, his hand hooked securely to his staff, as if to keep himself from shaking.

"Yes?" he asked, his calm voice belying the anger he felt inside. Jaken cleared his throat.

"The girl…Kagome…she's awake and she demands that you go and speak with her."

"And since when has she been able to make demands upon me?" he asked Jaken, his anger growing when he heard of Kagome's request. He had locked her in a guest room as far away from his own room as possible. He wanted to forget she was there, forget about her kind lips, her soft body fighting to keep him alive. His fury ebbed as he thought about her actions, giving way to a sense of guilt that he had come to know and hate. He nodded to Jaken and made his way to her locked room, mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of words she was sure to produce.

He felt like he was walking towards a great battle, one he wasn't sure he could win.

****

XoXoXoX

The air was heavy with the scent of blood.

Inuyasha stood in front of the fallen Sango, the Tetsusaiga poised and ready for another attack. A gash ran from his eyebrow to his cheek. Miroku stood next to him, his hand prepared, his fingers caressing the rosary beads as if for support. His glance returned to Sango every few moments. Rin and Shippo were atop Kirara, the cat having orders to run if things got too hectic.

Naraku had surprise attacked them, coming out of seemingly nowhere. His attack was aimed towards Miroku, wanting quickly to get the Wind Tunnel out of the way, but Sango had pushed the monk to the side, taking the blow herself. Her side exploded in a rush of blood and she fell.

"Show yourself, Naraku!" Inuyasha yelled hoarsely, pain causing his throat to clench.

Naraku swayed lightly on his perch, high up in the trees. He loved to watch them all, nervous and at the ready for an attack. He could practically feel the anticipation coming off of them. He sat debating on whether or not to finish them all right there or to wait until his true plan could be carried out. He wanted to fight both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru at the same time, prove to them that he was the superior being. _'But Sesshoumaru has escaped…probably taken the girl back to his own palace…'_ he felt rage creep into him again at the thought of how his lust had been played upon by Sesshoumaru. _'When I defeat him, I will be sure to make his death painful.'_ he smiled wickedly at the thought.

"You scared?" Inuyasha mocked from below. Naraku chuckled at how childish the words were. _'Now…how to get Inuyasha back to Sesshoumaru's palace…?' _he thought, not wanting to miss the opportunity.

"I don't have your human pet. Sesshoumaru does. And he has escaped me by use of trickery." he called downwards, only faintly amused. He could hear Miroku arguing fiercely with Inuyasha, both of them debating on whether or not this was a trap.

"And why are you telling us this?" Miroku asked, not even trying to hide the suspicion that crawled into his voice.

"Just thought I'd let you know that continuing this way is futile. I'll spare you for the moment. I'll be waiting for you there." was all he would offer before they heard the trees rustling as he departed.

Miroku crouched down next to Sango, relief flooding through him when he felt the pulse in her neck, soft and slow, but still there.

"Inuyasha, we can't go anywhere until she's healed a bit." he said softly, knowing how his friend would take the news.

"Are you crazy? We have to go and get Kagome before Naraku attacks! It's only a three day travel if we go quickly." he yelled. Miroku looked at him, trying to force reason into his head.

"Then leave us. We'll get there when we can." he replied softly. Inuyasha just stared, the impact of the monk's words dawning on him.

"Fine. Stay safe." he said simply, turning around to walk in the direction that they had come in.

"Wait! Take Rin with you!" Miroku yelled at Inuyasha's walking form. He turned and looked angered.

"What?" he asked, his voice low and feral.

"Take her back home, Inuyasha." Miroku was not going to budge on this. Rin smiled and ran over to Inuyasha, grabbing onto his leg and rubbing her face in the soft fabric of his yukata. Inuyasha growled, but it didn't stop her from pawing him. He nodded to Miroku then turned and began the journey backwards with Rin by his side.

****

XoXoXoX

Kagome had woken amidst sheets of the darkest azure feeling like velvet next to her skin. A sheer blue curtain closed off the bed from the rest of the room. She pushed herself out of the covers and gasped when she saw that she was dressed in a fine lilac kimono. Dark purple flowers twisted their way around the fabric of the collar. She even found that her hair had been cleansed off all of the roadway debris that had been entwined in it.

When she placed her feet upon the cold stone of the floor, the shock of it made her realize what had happened. Her hand reached up to her cheek and she felt a thick bruise spanning the entirety of it. She ran to the only door in the room, trying the handle and hissing in rage when she found that it was locked.

She couldn't believe that he would imprison her. That hurt far worse than the bruise that she had, courtesy of his fist. More than anything though she hated that she had shown him kindness, kissed his lips and told him it was alright…trusted him. And now that trust had been blown away. _'I should have known…why does it hurt so much?'_ she asked herself. She let her mind think back to the feeling of pure joy she had experienced while wrapped in his arms, watching the sunrise, the electric shivers that ran through her body when he returned her kiss. _'It was just the situation…he doesn't mean anything to me!'_ she forced herself to believe.

Placing her ear to the door she could hear a tapping, as if someone had a cane and was walking with it. Then she remembered about the toad thing that resided with Sesshoumaru. She beat her fists upon the door and yelled.

"Jaken! Come here!" she screeched. She heard his quick footsteps walking over to her door.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Get Sesshoumaru. Now!" she yelled, forcing as much fury in her voice as she could muster to try and make Jaken bend to her will.

"But…Lord Sesshoumaru does not wish to be disturbed…" he argued, vague fear welling in him at the sound of bitterness in her.

"Do it!" she yelled. She was satisfied when she heard him walk away, sure that he would do as she asked. She turned and placed her back to the door, looking at the grandeur of the room. An ivory desk sat in the corner, seemingly out of place in the blue room. The walls were lined with tapestries depicting soldiers doing great deeds, the fall of an empire, the rise of a new one. Each one more intricate and more beautiful than the last. Small candles sat in an alcove in the wall, giving off warm light. She went and sat in a blue cushioned high-back chair, positioning it so she could face the door.

When she heard the door unlock, every fibre of her being tensed. And when finally he walked into the room she felt her breath catch. His white hair had been washed and brushed so that it shined with the light of the candles. He wore a fresh kimono, the colours more brilliant than the last. He wore no armour, and his kimono drooped slightly open, revealing a pale expanse of his chest. But his eyes were what got to Kagome. The golden orbs were fixed on her, sadness deep within them. It quelled her anger, but only for a moment. She glared at him, unwilling to admit to herself how much her eyes wanted to drop to that exposed chest.

"What did you want?" he asked, his voice cold, as usual, but his eyes betrayed his voice. She thought of her words carefully, not wanting to anger him into harming her again.

"I should have known you would do something like this." she said, making her voice match his in coldness. He walked further into the room, making sure the door closed behind him. He stopped when was in front of her sitting form, the silk of his kimono almost draping onto her knees.

"Yes, you should have known." was his only reply. She shot up quickly, craning her neck to glare at him. He almost shied away from the hurt in her eyes, but he kept himself still and impassable.

"How could you do this to me? I saved your life and this is how you repay me?" she spat. Anger got the better of her and she whipped her hand out, slapping him solidly across the face. Thin crimson lines showed on his cheek from her nails. She had to restrain herself from doing more. He turned his face back to look at her, and Kagome winced, fully expecting a heavy blow to follow shortly.

"I deserved that." he said. Kagome froze in utter shock. She opened her eyes and stared at him, stared at the cuts already beginning to heal. _'I can't believe he admitted he was wrong…'_ she thought. All of her anger melted away momentarily as she looked into his eyes. She wanted nothing more than to tear down the shields that he had built around himself, she wanted to comfort the hurting person she knew was inside of him, even if he would deny it until the day he died.

When his arms slid around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace, she felt that she could stay like that forever.

****

XoXoXoX

"That idiot! He let them go!" Kagura yelled to herself, furious that Naraku finally had his chance to kill Inuyasha and hadn't taken it. She had hidden herself high up in the trees, waiting for the final blow to be dealt, but it never came. After Naraku had disappeared, she had seethed with anger. "He's always talking about killing that damned man, but when he gets the chance he runs away!" she was exasperated, furious that she could never understand his behaviour.

She really wished that Inuyasha would come out victorious. She wanted nothing more than her unwanted master's blood to be spilt.

She stopped walking, a thought freezing her. _'So Inuyasha is going to Sesshoumaru's palace for a final showdown with Naraku? Ha, I wonder what will happen if the hanyou doesn't make it…'_ she smiled, holding back a laugh.

She fastened her pace, eager to get her try at Inuyasha. She knew that killing him would hurt Naraku's pride, and that she wanted to do more than anything in the world.

She set off to find him, images of his bloody and beaten body flashing through her mind.

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - Once again, thanks for all of the reviews, they're awesome. Now…review please! Lol.


	7. As The World Falls Down

A/N - Wow. 118 reviews for only 6 chapters? That is so awesome, and you all deserve a cookie. Sorry for not posting sooner, but it took me FOREVER to find a song that fit the emotions in this chapter. Thanks for waiting.

And as a humorous side note, I've gotten a lot of reviews and e-mails, asking whether there's going to be any…how shall I put it…'action' between Sess and Kag. There will be, but not graphic. This is a Teen fic people! Sorry for the overly long author's note. Read on!

As The World Falls Down

There's such a sad love  
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed within your eyes  
I'll place the sky within your eyes

There's such a fooled heart  
Beating so fast in search of new dreams  
A love that will last within your heart  
I'll place the moon within your heart

David Bowie

When she woke up she felt his arms around her, his warmth pouring into her body. She opened her eyes and looked at his face, serene in the dying candlelight. His hair shimmered and fell all around her, an almost intimate gesture. Kagome's heart beat faster, panic spreading through her, but it was quelled when she realized both of them were still fully clothed. Then the sleep cleared from her groggy mind and she remembered what had happened the evening before.

She had embraced him, taking comfort in the strong arms that held her, and then they had lain down and basked in contentment passed between them. They both spoke of their past, though Kagome had been left to do most of the talking. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to want to offer much about his life, a fact that intrigued Kagome more than anything. She wanted to know about him. Eventually they fell asleep.

And now, lying in the warmth of the line of his body, Kagome remembered how he had attacked her. _'And for the Tetsusaiga, no doubt…'_ she thought, only the thinnest remnant of anger beating in her veins. It was replaced by an eerie sadness. _'He really only did it because it was all he knew.' _she tried to vouch for him. But still, even though she couldn't deny the faint stirrings of some deep emotion running through her whenever she thought of him, she knew she had to get out. She reached a hand up to run her fingers down his cheek, smiling at how soft it felt. She gently pulled herself out from his arms and placed her bare feet on the cold ground, feeling her skin prick at its iciness.

She walked over to the door; glancing back to make sure that he hadn't stirred. Her heart jumped when she tried the handle and found it unlocked. _'I knew he didn't lock it behind him!'_ she thought happily. She opened it as quietly as she could manage and then walked out, shutting it firmly behind her. _'Okay, now to find a map because I have _no _idea where I am…'_ she thought, walking quickly up the stairs. When she reached the top of the stairs she was amazed by the huge corridor full of doors. She walked down the hall, not sure of which door to try first. Her eyes went to one door in particular. It was pure white, with no wooden panels or depressions to break it of its monotonous design. It had an ebony handle with gold inlay.

She was still gazing at the door when she heard Jaken's staff beating against the ground. Her heat beating frantically, she opened the white door and entered the bedroom, not moving until she heard the toad pass.

When she let her gaze trail over the bedroom she was amazed at the grandeur of it. She could already tell that it belonged to Sesshoumaru. The blood red bed in the middle of the room looked so ethereal with its colours and textures that she had to resist the urge to go and lay upon it. In the corner she noticed a white desk and she ran over to it, opening drawers, trying desperately to find a map.

After searching for a few minutes, finding nothing but papers of deeds and an intricately drawn map of the hedge maze outside, she began to get the feeling of someone watching her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she turned around slowly, already knowing who it was.

When she turned and saw Sesshoumaru, she wasn't sure she had ever seen him so angry. His face betrayed no hints of emotion at all, but her skin shivered with the fury that radiated off of him.

"How long have you been there?" she asked him, trying to put some nonchalance into her voice. She stood from her crouched position and felt herself involuntarily back up to the wall.

"Long enough." he said, his voice clipped, as if trying to hide the feeling inside of it.

"I'm sorry, but I need to leave." she said, hating the thin note of panic that had crept its way into her voice. She was surprised at his speed as he suddenly appeared in front of her. She pushed back farther into the wall, wishing she could go through it.

"You haven't seemed that hasty to leave until now." he seethed, thrusting his hand out and grabbing her already-bruised arm. The sudden burst of pain made her just as angry as he was.

"Must you always be so rough!" she yelled, struggling to get free from his grasp. She couldn't imagine that she had lain in those arms all night, relished in how he softly rubbed her back, wishing that it would never end. He glared at her.

"Trust me, I can be a lot rougher." he said quickly before kissing her. Kagome gasped as his brutal lips assaulted hers, so rough it felt like he was trying to break her apart. She felt a sharp sting of pain. Kagome felt heat rise in her body and she panted heavily when he broke the kiss to take a breath. She raised a hand to her lips and was amazed at the thin crimson line of blood that ran down from them. She looked at him in astonishment before reaching her hand around his waist and pulling him against her, kissing him just as roughly as he had to her.

Before she knew it, she found herself placed amongst the silk sheets of his bed, amazed at the softness of it. There was a confusion of fabric coming off and of warm flesh moulding together, but only one underlying thought was running in Kagome's mind. _'This seems so right.' _A small smile curved her lips.

XoXoXoX

"And then one time, I was outside on…wait I was inside…but anyway this one time…"

Inuyasha's ears were flat against his head, trying everything he could manage to tune out the annoying little girl. He had endured her musings for the past couple of hours, and trying to keep her still when he set down for camp annoyed was almost impossible. She seemed to be a ball of energy, and it was grating on his nerves.

"But that was before I died, so it doesn't really matter." she said. Inuyasha's ears perked up and he looked at her sitting across from him.

"You died?" he asked, this time honestly curious.

"Mhmm, but Sesshoumaru brought me back with his sword." she replied, almost as if he should have known it. He was amazed that his brother had saved the life of a human, a human _child_ no less.

The following day he kept her a little closer to him, knowing that if anything happened to her, Sesshoumaru would not let his brother see the next day.

He didn't even bother to tell Rin about the danger they were walking right into. Naraku was going to be there when they got there, Inuyasha had no doubt. _'And then he's going to take both me and Sesshoumaru on…what an idiot.'_ he thought, a smirk spreading across his face.

The wind had grown calm, and Inuyasha was surprised to find that Rin had shut her mouth, tired from the long journey. It was a while before either of them spoke again.

"Inuyasha…what's that?" she asked, tugging lightly at his drooping sleeve. He looked out and saw two semi-circular blades travelling towards them at an imperceptible speed. He grabbed Rin and jumped to the side, feeling the dirt on his back from where the blades hit the ground where they were standing.

"Go back there!" he yelled at Rin, pointing into the woods. The little girl, frightened and a little shaken, ran into the thick foliage, careful to get far away but not go too far out of Inuyasha's sense of smell.

"Come out Kagura!" he yelled, the Tetsusaiga drawn and prepare for combat. His eyes scanned around, searching for her lithe form. He heard a whistling sound from behind him and dodged just in time to see another blade hit the ground. When the smoke cleared Kagura stood out in the distance, a smile playing on her lips.

"Had enough yet, Inuyasha?" she asked, amused by his flustered appearance.

"You wish." he said before charging at her, the Tetsusaiga slicing through the air, sure he was going to connect. The blade didn't connect with flesh, however, and when he looked up, Kagura was standing in front of him, Rin struggling in her arms.

"Let her go!" he yelled. Kagura chuckled. She pressed a sharp nail up against the girl's cheek until a small dot of blood formed. "Stop it!" Inuyasha yelled again, the sight of his charge getting hurt almost too much to bear.

"Kagura, this was not the plan." came a smooth voice out of the trees. Inuyasha looked in the direction of the voice and saw Naraku walking towards her. He could see fear, with a very distinct undertone of malice, in her eyes. She couldn't seem to find anything suitable to say, so she just stood there, holding onto Rin, her eyes glaring at her master. Inuyasha took this distraction to use his Soul Stealer attack, lashing out his claws and slicing Kagura on the face. She screamed in rage and dropped the girl. Inuyasha picked her up and backed away from Kagura and Naraku.

"Let's go, Kagura."

"But look what he did!" she seethed, wanting nothing more than to slice him apart and use his bones to clean her teeth.

"Let's go." he said again, this time finality evident in his voice. Kagura hissed at Inuyasha before walking away, turning and waiting for Naraku.

"We shall meet later, Inuyasha, of that I am sure." he said, a small smile turning up his lips. He walked over to Kagura and they walked away.

Inuyasha gathered up the shaking girl, surprised she hadn't cried in Kagura's grip, and continued on.

XoXoXoX

Each hour she seemed to get a little better. Miroku had moved her into a small clearing, cleaning her wound and making sure no new blood was seeping out. When night fell, along with its icy coldness, he had laid down beside her, trying to keep her warm. Kirara had slept on her other side in her large form, trying to keep both Sango _and_ Miroku warm.

In the middle of the night he felt her stir.

"Mirok…Miroku…" she said softly, still obviously in the clutches of her fever. Her skin had begun to sweat and she had started to shiver. He put cool water on her forehead, working tirelessly to keep her alive.

When she had finally stopped shivering, and her fever had gone down a little bit, he sat down against a stump, his body tired with the need for the sleep he had been denying. Under his breath he cursed Naraku:

"Damnit, Inuyasha, you better kill him."

XoXoXoX

A/N - Yeah I know, kind of short, but I had to go to work early today. Next one will be longer. Review please!

Oh and please check out the C2 group I just created. It's called 'Strange Pairings' and it's dedicated to some of the lesser known pairings of the Inuyasha fandom, lots of good stuff. Go read!


	8. Garden Part 1

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A/N - Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have been sucked into the rather addicting world of 'Materia Magica'. Alas, I am still wildly addicted, but I have fought my way out long enough to update! Thanks for the reviews, you are all so awesome!

Garden (1)

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I'll pretend that I want you  
For what is on the inside  
But when I get inside,  
I'll just want to get out  
I'm your first and last deposit  
Through sickness and in hell  
I'll never promise you a garden  
You'll just water me down  
I can't believe that you are for real  
But I don't care as long as you're mine

****

Marilyn Manson

The think walls of the palace were visible in the distance. There was a gleam of blinding light reflected off of the copper pole that held the palace banner in place atop one of the high turrets.

Inuyasha, wanting nothing more than to get to the palace, save Kagome, and then return on their search for the shards, figured out a way to get there four times faster. He picked up Rin, who was beginning to lag behind, her small feet tired from their constant walking, and held her close to him.

"What are we doing?" she asked sleepily, burying herself in the think folds of his yukata.

"We're getting you home faster." he replied before taking off at a run. The air swirled past, cold in the frigid morning. At first Rin clutched onto him, afraid of falling off, but he kept a secure hold on her.

When finally he stopped, his breathing heavy and a thin film of sweat covering his body, Rin wriggled out of his arms, smiling up at the palace that she so loved. He went to grab her, afraid that Naraku was around.

"Rin, don't wander off!" he said gruffly, only vaguely aware of her sigh as he looked up into the trees, searching for any sign of the enemy. He was broken out of his reverie when he heard doors open. He tensed, his hand reaching for the Tetsusaiga. He relaxed a little when he saw that it was only Jaken coming through the front doors.

"Rin! Where have you been? I told you to stay there!" he yelled, but it was obvious he was happy to see the girl back. Rin ran over to him.

"I went with Inuyasha! And I was kidnapped by some woman, but he saved me." she said nonchalantly, as if it happened every day. Jaken's green face visibly paled, but he regained himself in time for her barrage of questions. "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? We're looking for a lady. Her name is Kagome." the girl said. Inuyasha noticed the hesitancy in Jaken's voice when he answered her. His toad eyes glanced over to Inuyasha before he spoke.

"Now is not the time to bother them, Rin. Sesshoumaru is…busy and Kagome is…sleeping. Some other time, perhaps?" he asked Inuyasha. The hanyou didn't like the tone of fear in Jaken's voice.

"No, I want to see her now." he demanded, only his fear in leaving the girl alone outside keeping him in place.

"You must understand, both of them have been under a lot of stress. Maybe if you let me go get them, they can come out here?" Jaken pleaded. Inuyasha caught sight of Rin entering the palace and his resolve broke. He rushed past the toad and ran inside, not knowing where Kagome was but knowing where Sesshoumaru slept. He walked up the stairs and grabbed the handle leading into his brother's bedroom.

He froze when he caught Kagome's scent.

****

XoXoXoX

Sunlight filtered into the room from the gothic window set high into the wall. It beat down on Kagome's face, warming her against the early morning cold. She felt her lips tighten into a smile when she thought of the events that had occurred the previous night. Then her heart sank. She didn't feel his body pressed next to her in the bed. _'Did he leave…?' _ she asked herself, almost too afraid of the answer to turn around and look.

For a moment Sesshoumaru was perplexed beyond reason. _'What have I done!' _he mentally cursed himself, all but ready to leave the room quietly and never speak to the girl again, but he couldn't resist when she reached her hand backwards, worried that he wasn't there. He reached out and grabbed her hand, surprised at how relieved she was, heaving a sigh of relief so thoroughly felt it left her body limp. She turned and Sesshoumaru found himself looking into her dark eyes. He pulled her against his body and wrapped an arm around her, feeling her doze back off into sleep. _'You idiot, Sesshoumaru. How are you going to get out of this?' _he asked himself, angry that he couldn't forget the way she looked at him, couldn't forget the things that she made him feel.

It wasn't until he raised his head a little that he heard heavy but rapidly fast footsteps coming up the hall stairs. He knew that Jaken couldn't possibly run that fast, and so he could only formulate one other conclusion. _'Inuyasha, here at last.' _A thin thread of uncertainty ran through him, unsure of what his brother would do when he opened the door and found his love in his brother's arms. _'He'll want to fight me, of course. And he'll be blinded by anger, no doubt he'll lose and I can finish him once and for all…'_ he thought. He was sure that Inuyasha, upon seeing them, would not act out of reason. '_And the more he sees, the angrier he'll become…'_ he felt a sinister smile crawl onto his face. He could hear his brother outside the door now, pausing as if in uncertainty.

Sesshoumaru reached down to Kagome, who was now teetering between full consciousness and a drowsy state of sleep. He turned her face towards his and she began to question him, but before any words could fully form he pressed his lips gently on hers. She reached a hand up to run through his long hair and press herself closer to him.

When the door finally opened, he felt Kagome freeze and he smiled into their kiss. He turned his face slightly, forcing hers to turn as well, and he looked into the face of his brother. He relished in the look of pure hurt in his eyes, quickly chased by anger aimed directly at Sesshoumaru.

Just as he knew he would, Inuyasha had unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and rushed forth. Sesshoumaru pushed Kagome off of the other side of the bed and he jumped out, grabbing his kimono and putting on quickly. When the rubble had cleared, Inuyasha was standing in the middle of the now split in half bed, staring down at Kagome.

"Inuyasha…I…" she didn't know what to say. She grabbed the sheets and tried to cover herself as good as possible, feeling unbearably naked under his gaze.

"Just shut up, Kagome." he said, turning slowly to face Sesshoumaru again.

"How could you?" he asked, his voice quiet and deadly. Kagome could barely hear him, but Sesshoumaru's demon ears caught every word. He shrugged minutely, refusing to speak, knowing that his silence would only anger his brother more.

Sesshoumaru backed up, his arm reaching for the now-sharpened and blood free Tenseiga mounted on the wall. He held it by his side, a little distance away from his body, perfect for quickly striking. The look in Inuyasha's eyes was that of madness, pure rage.

"Inuyasha! Don't be rash; you'll tear the whole place down!" Kagome yelled, tempted to 'sit' him, but she knew that that would only damage his pride even further.

He brushed her words off, and ran towards his brother, the Tetsusaiga aiming for his chest. Sesshoumaru deflected it with the Tenseiga, only angering Inuyasha more. Kagome backed herself into the wall watching them fight; unsure of whom she wanted to win. Inuyasha was being sloppy with his moves and Sesshoumaru was having a very easy time dodging them. She gasped when Sesshoumaru's blade sliced Inuyasha in the arm. She resisted the urge to ask if he was alright, she felt it would be inappropriate.

Inuyasha thrust his sword forward, but Sesshoumaru moved by him with speed so fast Kagome could barely focus on him. He back up by the door, inches away from where Kagome stood.

Inuyasha stuck his fingers into his wound, making sure they were thoroughly coated with blood before he thrust them forth, yelling out "Claws of Blood!" The deep red blades shot forward, Sesshoumaru barely dodging them in the small space.

It wasn't until they heard a small shriek that they looked over to Kagome. One of the blades had hit the side of her upper chest, the sharp blade causing a huge chunk to be cut out. Blood spattered the wall and the last thing she saw before she passed out was Inuyasha crashing to his knees, pain evident on his face.

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - This is short for a reason this time. I had it written completely and it turned out to be over 10 pages in MSWord, and I thought 'Damn, I wouldn't want to read all that!' so I separated it into two parts. The next part should be posted relatively soon. Now, review please!

**__**


	9. Garden Part 2

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A/N - O.O Wow. I got 38 reviews for that last chapter. sniff sniff I love you guys!

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Garden (2)

__

Burn your empty rain down on me  
Whisper your deathbeat so softly  
We bend our knees  
At the altar of my ego  
**Marilyn Manson**

The world was awash in splotches of blurred green and blue, only to be drawn back into blackness when she fell back into unconsciousness.

In one of the few moments when she was partially aware, she felt a strong grip on her hand. She was too weak to turn her head, but she was sure of whom it was.

She felt cold compresses sticking to her forehead. Her whole body was thick with the hot fever, but she felt herself shivering.

Whenever she tried to open her eyes, the world swayed and turned, urging them closed again.

More than once she tried to open her mouth. Tell them what she was thinking. _'I'm dying!'_

****

XoXoXoX

Sesshoumaru could feel the hot fury drifting off of his brother in waves. They sat in his throne room, Sesshoumaru taking his usual position in the high-backed chair, and Inuyasha sitting on the floor a little ways in front of him. The stubborn hanyou had refused any chair that he was offered, mumbling under his breath. Jaken had been wise, for once, and had asked to take both of their swords. Inuyasha was hesitant at first, but a glance at Sesshoumaru proved that his brother had no intention of taking the sword any more. There were more pressing matters at hand. Now they sat in tense silence, wondering who was going to break and speak first. Sesshoumaru grew tired of this game and broke the stillness.

"Naraku will challenge us any minute." he said, trying to shove the voice of reason into his brother's head. It didn't seem to help. Inuyasha sat stubbornly still, refusing to look at his brother.

"You're pathetic." Inuyasha said, almost so silent that Sesshoumaru couldn't hear him. His words silenced anything that the older brother was about to say. Sesshoumaru looked at him, debating or whether or not to question him or kill him for his insolence. He took the former option.

"And why is that, dear brother?"

"You don't even care about her." Inuyasha snorted. He stood up from his position on the floor and walked closer to his brother. Sesshoumaru gripped the armrests, trying to keep his temper down. Inuyasha knew nothing of how he felt about Kagome. He wasn't even sure himself. "You slept with her and you don't even care one bit about her. Why did you do it?" he asked. Sesshoumaru turned his face so he could better look into the gold globes of his brothers eyes, so like his own but so different as well. He stood up, making Inuyasha have to look up at him. It made him more comfortable to be dominant. He began to walk away, wanting nothing more than to be out of the room. He didn't like all of this moral judgement. "Well, are you gonna answer me?" he heard his brother demand. He turned and looked at Inuyasha.

"I don't think you really want the answer." he said softly, turning again to walk to the door and leave the room.

"We're leaving." Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru tensed, his body still with disbelief. He let himself take a deep breath and then turned around, making his face change back into the cool mask that he always displayed.

"What do you mean? Naraku-"

"Can go to hell for all I care. I'm taking Kagome, going to find Miroku and Sango, and we're leaving. Deal with him on your own. A powerful demon 'lord' like yourself should have no problem with him." he said, obvious disgust leaking into his voice. Sesshoumaru was stunned. Not by his brother's sudden plot to leave the whole problem on _his_ shoulders, but because he didn't want Kagome to leave…until she was well, of course.

"I don't think the girl is in any position to travel." he reasoned, turning around once again, trying to act nonchalant about the situation.

"I'll carry her and then she can ride on Kirara."

"Fine. When she dies from infection from the road, don't dare come back here." Sesshoumaru spat, reaching for the door handle.

"What did she do to you, Sesshoumaru, to deserve such treatment?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshoumaru, his door on the handle, made sure that Inuyasha couldn't hear him before he said,

"She made my heart beat faster."

****

XoXoXoX

"If you want to stop, just say so."

"I'm fine, really." Sango said. Her fever had long been broken and her wound was beginning to itch, telling her it was healing. She walked next to Miroku, leaning heavily on Kirara. The road was bumpy and whenever she stepped on a rock or a root, pain would shoot up and down her body, but she was determined to get to Sesshoumaru's palace, determined to help Inuyasha and Kagome. "Do you think they're alright?" she asked. Miroku sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know. If Naraku hasn't gotten to them yet, I think they'll be okay." he said trying to reassure her.

"I guess so. But let's try to get there as soon as possible."

****

XoXoXoX

Her skin was cool and clammy. He picked up her hand and held it, rubbing it lightly to urge warmth back into her flesh. His eyes glanced over to the figure of Rin. The girl had broken into hysterics when she thought that her new 'lady-friend' had died and she hadn't left her side since. Now she was huddled by the edge of the bed, exhaustion finally taking her over.

Sesshoumaru stood and leaned over Kagome. He reached a hand down and pushed sweaty hair out of her face. He straightened and then picked up Rin, ready to give her to Jaken so that she could go and sleep in her own bed.

When he turned around he saw that his brother had appeared behind him, confusion evident on his face.

"You don't really care…do you?" he asked. Sesshoumaru's only answer was a light sigh. The older brother walked out the door, Rin still in his arms.

Inuyasha walked over to Kagome, the heavy weight of the Tetsusaiga attached to his side giving him comfort. Jaken had given him back his sword after he said that he was leaving. The toad seemed very happy about his sudden departure.

Inuyasha made sure that her purple kimono was tied tight. When he got closer to her his nose crinkled. He could smell Sesshoumaru all over her. His scent clung to her hair and flesh and overpowered him with jealousy for a few moments. He shook the feeling off and gently pulled the silk sheet off of her, careful not to disturb her too much. When the sheet came off he reached his arms under her neck and under her knees. He lifted her up slowly. She muttered a few noises of protest, but he was soon standing with her in his arms.

Sesshoumaru watched from the balcony as Inuyasha walked out the back door, stealing away in the night to hide from Naraku.

He had to grab onto the banister to keep from breaking something.

****

XoXoXoX

"Sango hide, there's something out there!" Miroku whispered to Sango, she refused to hide, but she did step back, letting herself be sandwiched between Miroku and Kirara.

Miroku let his hand fiddle with the rosary around his wrist, all but ready to unleash the Wind Tunnel should they find themselves under attack.

"Who are you?" he called. He could see the faint form out in the distance, but the night had reduced it to nothing more than a shadow.

"It's just us." he heard a gruff voice. He let out a sigh and walked forward. When he got close enough the moonlight shone on the figure of Inuyasha walking forward with Kagome in his arms.

"Kagome!" Sango called, catching up with Miroku. She stopped when she saw the bandage wrapped around her chest, visible through the loose fitting kimono. "What happened? Did Sesshoumaru…" she trailed off, anger coursing through her. She couldn't believe that Sesshoumaru could do such a thing.

"No it wasn't him. I did it. It was an accident." Inuyasha said, walking into the clearing he had used only days ago to make camp. He sat Kagome down sat beside her. The rest of the group followed suit and sat down.

"So, what happened?" Miroku asked. It was obvious that he really meant 'How could you possibly maim the girl you went to save?'. Inuyasha looked at him, debating on whether or not to tell him the whole story.

"I got angry. I was sloppy and she got hurt because of it." he said quietly, hoping that would be enough to satiate them. But of course Shippo had no intention of letting that comment go unquestioned.

"Well why were you angry?" he asked. Inuyasha growled at him, but figured that since the question was out there, he may as well tell them the whole story.

"When I got there, they were in bed…together." he said. Miroku looked at him wide-eyed and Sango's jaw dropped. Shippo, who wasn't _exactly_ sure what that meant, feigned shock since he knew that Inuyasha probably wouldn't want to repeat himself. He would get Miroku to explain to him later.

"Wow. I never would have believed she would do that…" Sango said, still shocked. She looked over at her friend, thin tendrils of disgust creeping into her, even though she hated them. She didn't like the idea of her friend sleeping with the enemy.

Inuyasha was about to speak again, but Kagome stirred against him. She was still in the throes of the fever, but she began to mumble under her breath, so softly it was almost impossible to hear.

"What is she saying?" Shippo asked. They listened intently. Finally she began to get a little louder.

"Se…Sess…Sesshoumaru." she called, then she fell quiet again. Sango felt sadness wash over her when she saw the hurt on Inuyasha's face.

****

XoXoXoX

"Naraku."

"Hold on."

"Naraku!" Kagura said again. The man in question was kicking at dead bodies, victims of some bloodthirsty demon that was too hasty to eat them all. "You may want to hear this." she said, tired of having to wait for him to find what he was looking for. They had been standing amongst dead bodies much longer than she wanted, and she wanted to just tell him her news and then leave.

"Found it." he said, bending down. He reached into some dead person's mouth and pulled out a jewel shard. "Now what did you wish to tell me, Kagura?" he asked.

"Inuyasha just left Sesshoumaru's palace." she said, ready to jump out of the way in case he should decide to take his anger out on her.

"What?" he asked, unbelieving.

"Inuyasha just left. With that human girl. Sesshoumaru let them go." was all she had a chance to say before Naraku had vanished, no doubt to go and fight with Sesshoumaru. Kagura sighed and began to walk out of the field, choosing not to fly since she needed to think. Walking always helped her think. _'I _know_ that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, teamed up, can beat Naraku.'_ she thought, _'And then I'll be free.'_ She couldn't help the thought from seeping into her head. She wanted nothing more than to be free, to be able to live her own life away from Naraku.

And she knew that the brothers could help her in that plan.

She smiled as she plotted.

"I'll be free."

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - I already have part of the next chapter written out so you can expect that one up within the next day or so. Now go and review! Oh and don't worry, this story isn't ending any time soon. I have way too many ideas for it. Lol. Thanks for reading…………………..now………….review!

Oh and if any of you guys out there like the anime 'Fullmetal Alchemist' then watch out for my new fic soon! Any ideas for it?


	10. Wrong

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A/N - Yeah, so my sister's apartment flooded so I had to go and help her move all of her crap (and she has A LOT of it) into my house, so that's why there hasn't been an update lately. Anyways…forgive me and of course…READ ON!

Wrong

Nothing's prettier

Than a pretty girl digging

A heart shaped hole in the ground

Hear that sound?

That's the fortress 'round your heart crumbling down.

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Jim White

Jaken sat still. His skin was prickling in the eerie silence that surrounded his master. Ever since Inuyasha had left with the girl, Sesshoumaru had stood out on the balcony and Jaken, ever the loyal servant, had stayed beside him, trying to position himself so that the chill night wind was blocked by Sesshoumaru's tall form.

__

'That pathetic girl…she didn't deserve the affection of the Lord Sesshoumaru.' Jaken thought grumpily. His ears twitched. Out of the stillness he could hear tiny footsteps, slow and uncertain. He turned and saw Rin, her face smudged with dirt and her clothes wrinkled. _'That child is in a constant state of uncleanness!'_ he mused, his eyes closing as he thought of the effort it was going to take to get Rin to take a bath. When his yes opened again he saw that she was holding a bouquet of flowers.

She walked forward, moving between Jaken and Sesshoumaru. When she was finally next to the Demon Lord she raised her small hands up, offering him the flowers. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, not responding. He heard Jaken leave the balcony. The toad decided that Rin and Sesshoumaru needed to be alone, and he wisely left them.

Sesshoumaru waited for her to put her arms down, but she didn't. He began to really hate the determination that all children seemed to possess. He became so entangled in his thoughts that he was startled when he felt her take his hand in her own small one. He looked down at her mop of auburn hair, the side ponytail coming undone. She smiled and wrapped his fingers around the flowers and let go carefully, afraid he would let them fall to the ground. When she had completely let go, she was pleased to see that though he didn't acknowledge he had them, he didn't let them fall either. She smiled and walked off of the balcony, off to find Jaken and make him play with her.

When her footsteps had died down Sesshoumaru lifted his hand and looked at the flowers. He was never an expert in horticulture so he had no idea what kind they were, but he had the uncanny feeling that Rin had picked them out to serve a special purpose. They were lilac in colour, with small black spots around the centre. They were the exact same colour as the flowers that had been on Kagome's robe. He turned, a plan slowly forming in his mind. He went to lay down in the guest bed that Kagome had used, his own bed still torn in half. He put the flowers on the desk in the corner. He let sleep come to him as dawn etched its way into the sky. Sesshoumaru had to repress the urge to smile.

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'Rin is getting smarter every day.'

****

XoXoXoX

Kagura stood with her back against a tree, wondering when Inuyasha was going to get to her. She had decided to not surprise them by randomly appearing, so she stood and waited for them to come to her.

She glanced around every few minutes, red eyes shifting in search of Naraku. If he found out what she was up to, there would be hell to pay.

She slapped her neck, pulling her hand away to reveal the carcass of the mosquito which had been dancing around her skin.

"That damned hanyou better get here soon!"

****

XoXoXoX

"I don't understand how it can be so cold in the morning and so warm during the day!" Shippo complained, fanning himself with his small hands. Miroku shot him a look and he quieted down. None of them really felt like speaking. Kagome was lying haphazardly atop Kirara, Inuyasha beside them with a hand on her back to keep her from falling off. Her fever had broken and her body was no longer covered in sweat, but she was still unconscious. Miroku had said that it was more than likely because of the amount of blood she lost and it would only be a matter of time before she awoke.

It was about noon when she began to stir.

"Ha, what did I tell you?" Miroku said cockily, lightening the mood for all of them. Inuyasha knelt down so that he could be on eye level when she awoke.

When Kagome opened her eyes, her blurred vision only allowed her to see two golden orbs in front of her. She smiled. _'Sesshoumaru…'_ But when her vision cleared she saw the concerned face of Inuyasha, with all of the others in the background. Though she was very excited to see them all again, she couldn't suppress the feeling of emptiness when she didn't wake up with Sesshoumaru's arms around her, as she had felt for the past many days. She lifted her head and offered a smile.

"Hey guys." she said weakly. She tried to sit up, but the pain in her chest prevented her from doing so.

"Don't move too much!" Sango chided, smiling slightly. After a few more words of caution Kagome settled her eyes on Inuyasha, who hadn't spoken a word since she had awoken. Miroku prodded Sango in the side, motioning for them to leave. They made the excuse of needing to bathe Shippo and then they walked off into the woods with Shippo exclaiming that he didn't need a bath.

"Inuyasha…" she spoke, wanting him to just say something. She could practically see the guilt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." he said, still not looking at her. She reached a hand out and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's me." she replied, feeling ashamed of what she had done, of the pleasure she had felt in Sesshoumaru's arms. Just the remembrance of it caused a faint blush to stir in her skin. She shifted on Kirara, her wound hurting.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha said, placing his hand back on her to keep her steady. Their eyes locked and she leaned forward, patting him on the shoulder. She began to say something but was quickly stopped.

"What? Did I interrupt something?"

"Kagura!" Inuyasha yelled, standing up and walking in front of Kagome. Kirara let out a deep, guttural growl.

"Don't get so over excited. I have a deal to offer you." she said, annoyance entering her voice. She raised her arms up to her head, palms out, revealing that she carried no weapon.

"What do you want?" came Kagome's voice.

"I need to speak with Inuyasha. I promise to be nice." she said.

"And why should I trust you?" he asked, drawing the Tetsusaiga. Kagome sighed. She didn't know how she knew, but she was just sure that Kagura hadn't come to attack them.

"Just go speak with her, Inuyasha." Kagome said. Inuyasha stiffened, obviously not liking the idea. He put the Tetsusaiga back into its scabbard and then walked forward. He stopped when he was inches away from Kagura, which was out of Kagome's hearing range.

"What do you want, Kagura?" he asked angrily, glancing back every few seconds to check on Kagome.

"I want you to do something for me."

"Oh really? And what would that be?"

"Team up with Sesshoumaru and kill Naraku." she said flatly, as if it were just some menial task she had requested of him. He stared at her incredulously.

"I'm never going back there. And why would I want to help you out anyway?" he asked. Kagura gave a slight smile.

"Because I can tell you how to kill Sesshoumaru. I'll help you, even." she said. Inuyasha felt like the air had rushed out of his lungs. _'I can kill him. And all this will be over with.'_ It was all too tempting a thought.

"And what makes you think I want to kill him?" he asked, wondering how Kagura knew of his new found rage at his brother.

"I just know. So what do you say? He'll be out of your way." She said softly. All of the emotions of seeing Kagome in bed with Sesshoumaru came rushing back, making him go speechless for a while. Rage began to build within him again, but he tried to quell it. Kagura was not helping matters. "Think about it, Inuyasha. Think about all the places on her Sesshoumaru has touched. I can smell his scent clinging to her hair. Think about her body, rendered breathless in his arms and-"

"ENOUGH!" Inuyasha yelled. The sound reverberated throughout the area and Kagura knew she had him.

"So what do you say?" she asked sweetly, glancing over to Kagome. The human girl had a suspicious look on her face.

"Fine." he said softly, refusing to meet her gaze. She held her hand out. He looked at it for a second, doubt running through his mind. After a few moments he took it and they shook.

"It's a deal then. I'll meet you back at his palace. Don't delay." she said sternly.

Inuyasha turned around as Kagura left and let his eyes meet Kagome's.

She didn't like the defeat in the gold orbs.

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - This, my friends, was nothing but a 'filler' chapter. This chapter did not want to be written and I had to work on it for three days. Damn writer's block. But I bought the Inuyasha movie and it should get the creative juices flowing again, so expect an update soon. I'm still debating on whether or not to have a happy ending or a sad ending. What do you think?

And for anyone who is interested in Fullmetal Alchemist, check out my story at: http/ adult fan . nexcess. net/aff/story.php?no544191389

Just remove the spaces. Please note, thought, that it is an ADULT story and should only be viewed by ADULTS! For you adults though, go have fun!

Now review!


	11. Wishing

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Wishing

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Wishing you were  
somehow here again . . .  
wishing you were  
somehow near . . .  
Sometimes it seemed  
if I just dreamed,  
somehow you would  
be here . . .

****

Phantom of the Opera

"Inuyasha, I don't understand-"

"Shut up."

"But this makes no sense!" Miroku protested. Less than an hour ago his friend had turned towards the group and told them to get ready to go back to Sesshoumaru's. He walked ahead of them, refusing to explain. Kagome, who was flipping in between levels of consciousness, felt too weak to question him. She couldn't explain it, but a fluttering in her stomach occurred whenever she thought of Sesshoumaru. She almost wished they could get there sooner.

"When will we get there?" she asked of Inuyasha during one of her conscious moments. She wanted to recant her words when he turned and looked at her, a strange emotion running behind the gold globes of his eyes. He muttered something about getting there in a day or so and refused to speak to her afterwards.

She was grateful for the thick darkness that fell over her when she slipped back into sleep.

****

XoXoXoX

A chilly air came sweeping through the open window. Rin shivered and curled herself deeper into the cloak that Jaken had gotten for her.

The living room was, thankfully, devoid of the blood stains that had rendered it useless for the past few days. Jaken had cleaned it, though he complained the whole time. Finally the room was relatively spotless, though still bare and chilly.

A knock on the front door startled Jaken out of his slumber. His eyes saw Rin jumping up to go and open it.

"Wait!" he yelled, and the little girl stopped, looking confused. Jaken disregarded her and walked to the great palace doors. With a firm grip on his staff, he opened them. A gasp quickly issued from his lips.

Standing beneath the archway was none other than Naraku, his eyes cold and fierce, his hair dancing about wildly in the wind.

"What do you want?" Jaken asked, debating on whether or not he should attack the demon or run to find Lord Sesshoumaru.

"I want to speak with Sesshoumaru."

"But-"

"Now." he said, stifling the toad's protests. In a fit of panic, Jaken tried to close the door, but Naraku's hand stopped him. Jaken tried to push it closed again, sure that if it was secure he would have time to go and find Sesshoumaru, but Naraku's strength held out.

Without warning, a pale hand shot out and grabbed the door, pulling it open. Jaken looked behind him to see Sesshoumaru, his golden eyes glaring at Naraku.

"Jaken, take Rin and leave." he said softly. Jaken did as he was told, grabbing up the objecting girl, and carried her off into the garden.

Sesshoumaru moved aside, gesturing for Naraku to enter. He did so and walked over to one of the few chairs that decorated the room. Sitting down, he closed his eyes, a faint smirk tracing his lips. Sesshoumaru walked over to him and sat down as well, keeping his eyes trained on Naraku's face.

"I see you've cleaned up." he said, opening his eyes and glancing around the room. Sesshoumaru remained quiet, refusing to be baited. "I also see that Inuyasha and the girl have left. How…unfortunate."

"Why keep this up, then?" Sesshoumaru asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him. He was getting mightily annoyed by Naraku's constant stubbornness.

"Don't be stupid, Sesshoumaru, I have abandoned that plan all together. There is something else that I wanted to discuss with you." he said, leaning forward and staring Sesshoumaru in the eyes. He could tell that the demon lord was suspicious.

"What?" he asked, already not liking the tone in Naraku's voice.

"Team up with me. Together we can get your brother out of the way."

"And after he is dead, I've no doubt you would come for me."

"Are you afraid?" Naraku asked, a glimmer of laughter playing in his eyes. Sesshoumaru gripped the arms of the chair, doing all he could to not strike out at the man.

"No I am not."

"So?"

Sesshoumaru stood up, a gesture for Naraku to leave.

"Just think. With your brother gone, the Tetsusaiga, along with anything else you…desire…can be yours." Naraku said as he stood and began to walk out. Sesshoumaru froze. He knew that with Naraku on his side, they could easily dispatch Inuyasha, and then the Tetsusaiga would be his, finally.

"Fine. Now get out." Sesshoumaru demanded.

When Naraku had left, telling Sesshoumaru he would return tomorrow, he went to his throne room. Sitting upon the seat he let himself be lost in his thoughts. All of them went back to one thing.

__

'Kagome would hate me if I killed Inuyasha…'

****

XoXoXoX

His mouth was on hers, his warm flesh moulding against her body. His strong arms were around her, pulling her onto his lap. She felt the heat rise within her body, yearning-

Kagome woke up, a thin sweat all over her body. She clutched at the being at her side, her dream leaving her tired and uneasy. She didn't like these dreams, these remembrances.

Inuyasha woke and turned to her, fear in his eyes. He grabbed her and pulled her close.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked, stroking her hair and cooing to her as if she were a child.

"Nothing…it was just a dream." she replied, hating herself for her passion, and hating Inuyasha as well for pretending like it all never happened.

He pulled her closer and was happy when he finally heard her breath fall deep and steady, indicating that she was asleep.

He began to let himself thing of Kagura, and her proposition. _'I can kill Naraku and Sesshoumaru both, get them both out of my life. They've ruined so much already.'_ he thought. For some reason, he felt unsure of the plan. He knew that Kagura wouldn't backstab him, she wanted Naraku to break his hold on her, but something about the whole deal was still unsettling.

It was right before he fell asleep that he finally realized what had him so upset over it all.

__

'Kagome would hate me if I killed Sesshoumaru…'

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - Yeah yeah yeah. I know, it's short. I'm still suffering from immense writers' block (anybody got a cure for it?). I hope it goes away soon and until then, I can only promise that the next chapter will be longer than this piddly chapter. But, just to prove how nice I am, I have written out a guide on the story so far. Go ahead, tell me you love me! J/K.

****

The Story Thus Far:

After being attacked by a horde of demons, Inuyasha and the gang flee from their search. After stopping, Kagome and Sango go about making camp while Inuyasha goes and searches the surrounding area for danger. When he returns and states that there is no threat, Kagome goes to take a bath, dragging Shippo along with her. After she goes in the water, Shippo is attacked and knocked out. When Kagome goes to look for him, she is attacked and kidnapped. When she wakes up she is in a cell, and shortly afterwards is joined by an unconscious Sesshoumaru.

Kagome begins to clean his wound and starts to feel the urge to keep him alive. Soon after, they both find out that the person behind all of this is Naraku. He explains that he kidnapped Kagome so that Inuyasha would follow her here, and he would have a chance to battle the brothers and prove that he was stronger. He hurts Sesshoumaru even worse, and the Demon Lord is left feverish and unconscious, near death. But thanks to Kagome, his bleeding stops and she keeps him alive.

After Sesshoumaru wakes back up, he and Kagome come up with a plan to escape the prison. Meanwhile Inuyasha and Co. make it to Sesshoumaru's palace where they find Rin. After getting a tip from Kagura, they leave, taking Rin with them, and set off for Naraku's castle. Kagome and Sesshoumaru make their escape, and Sesshoumaru agrees to help her find Inuyasha.

When Sesshoumaru and Kagome reach his palace, he knocks her out, planning to use her as bait for Inuyasha. While searching for Naraku's palace, Naraku attacks and Sango is injured. Naraku tells Inuyasha and Miroku that Sesshoumaru has taken Kagome back to his palace. Inuyasha takes Rin, leaving Sango and Miroku behind, and heads back to the palace. All the while Kagura plots to kill Inuyasha to hurt Naraku's pride.

When Kagome wakes up she is locked in a bedroom in Sesshoumaru's palace. After speaking with him, she leaves the room that he accidentally left unlocked when he fell asleep. She goes to his room and tries to find a map for her escape. When he enters the room, they get caught up in the moment and end up in bed together. Out on the path, Kagura has showed up and grabbed Rin, taking her hostage against Inuyasha. The battle is ended prematurely when Naraku shows up and commands her to stop.

When Inuyasha finally reaches the palace, he catches Kagome scent and runs to the bedroom. When he opened the door and found them in bed together, he flew at Sesshoumaru in anger. Blinded by hatred, one of his attacks goes askew and hits Kagome. She falls down unconscious.

After Kagome is stabilized, Inuyasha takes her and goes off to find Sango and Miroku. Kagura, who has been spying upon the palace, goes off to tell Naraku that Inuyasha has left.

After given a flower by Rin that looked like the ones on Kagome's kimono, Sesshoumaru begins to formulate a plan on how to get her back. Meanwhile, Kagome awakes and shortly afterwards the gang is greeted by Kagura who tells Inuyasha that if he kills Naraku, she will tell him how to Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha agrees, but tells no one of the plan.

Naraku has abandoned his original plan, and now he has asked for Sesshoumaru to join him in defeating Inuyasha. He agrees.

Now that the alliances are formed, who's going to reign supreme?


	12. Haunted

A/N - Ack! I wish I had checked my reviews sooner! I just realized my mistake by writing about the Tenseiga, but there was a reason for the inaccuracy. I've never seen the anime, I read the manga (but I did watch my first movie yesterday ) and my Japanese isn't exactly the greatest :sigh: so whenever I saw the word 'Toukijin' in Japanese I had _no_ idea what it was so in my mind I would replace it with 'Tenseiga'. Woops. Now I realize my mistake and it shall be fixed in the future. Sorry for the mile long author's note. Read on:)

Haunted

Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here  
When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there

Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
Fearing you loving you  
I won't let you pull me down

Evanescence

She could feel something wrong. The way he moved, the way he acted…it wasn't the same. He had fooled everyone else, but he could not fool her.

Kagome sighed and shifted her weight on top of Kirara, feeling awful for having to be on the poor cat all the time. _'Her back is probably killing her…' _she thought. Glancing ahead she saw Inuyasha walking in front of them, his eyes cast down to the ground, as if in thought. Whenever anyone asked what they were doing heading back to Sesshoumaru's palace, he would growl and his eyes would burn with a fighting glare.

Kagome knew. From the first night that he had told them that they would be returning, she knew. _'He's going to fight Sesshoumaru.'_ she didn't want to believe it. After looking at the defeat and determination in his eyes, she knew that one of them would not come out alive. Trouble was, she had no idea who she wanted the victor to be.

XoXoXoX

The chill morning air was comforting to him.

Sesshoumaru stood on the front steps of his palace, glancing out onto the grounds. Everywhere he looked was dead and rotten. The palace had once been a place of pure beauty, grandeur unmatched by any in the land, but now it was unkempt and sick with death. The horses had long since starved and the gardens were reduced to barren plots in the ground. The only thing still alive was the hedge maze. He never knew why he kept the maze alive, or why he had spent so many nights trying to figure it out. Once he had even tried to map it out as he traversed it, but the map was horribly inaccurate. To this day he had still not figured it out. Something was in the centre, he was sure.

The wind drifted across his face and with the downwind breeze he caught a scent that had his heart hammering and his palms sweating. _'Her…'_ He could smell Kagome, but mingled with that scent was the smell of Inuyasha and the stink of the humans that he travelled with.

"Jaken." he called, only raising his voice a little, he knew the toad was nearby.

"Yes, my Lord?" came his scaly voice. Sesshoumaru cast a sideways glance to him and then spoke again.

"Take Rin to the back garden for a while. We have guests." was all that he had to say. Jaken quickly understood and as soon as he went back inside Sesshoumaru could hear his frantic calling for the young girl.

Sesshoumaru stepped to the ground, Toukijin in his hand and his grip steady, and waited for his brother to appear.

XoXoXoX

"Almost there." came Inuyasha's voice. Kagome looked up and could see his nose working in the air, picking up a scent that her human body could not.

"What is it?" she asked him, already knowing the answer.

"Sesshoumaru." he replied, quickening his pace. Kirara went to catch up with him, every step her giant paws took giving Kagome a jolt of pain in her chest. She bit the inside of her cheek and struggled to not cry out.

Silence passed between all of them. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had held back a little, not wanting to get too near to Inuyasha. He seemed a little more volatile than usual. Kagome could hear their soft voices as they chatted. It made the silence between her and Inuyasha all the more unbearable.

It was almost noon when they reached the palace. Looking up, Kagome let out an audible gasp.

Sesshoumaru was standing there by the stairs, his white hair gleaming in the sunlight. His kimono hung loose on his frame, as usual, but there was armour there now. Kagome looked down and grabbed her shirt, trying to rid her body and mind of all the feelings that her enemy had incited within her. There was emotion so strong that she was left breathless wanting to run to him and fling herself into his arms and just talk to him, but there was also a hate building within her too. She hated what he made her feel, hated the way he refused to look at her now, acting like none of it had ever happened. But most of all she hated herself for wanting Sesshoumaru to be the one to win.

"You've come back." his soft, velvety smooth voice called out to them. Kagome bit back her snappy retort and let Inuyasha handle it.

"I challenge you." Inuyasha said, low and deadly. Looking back over to Sesshoumaru, Kagome could swear she saw a smirk cross his face. And then his eyes turned to her. They were so deep, so full of loss that all of her anger was washed away.

"Sesshoumaru…" she said quietly, suddenly cold inside. She ignored Inuyasha's look of disgust and anger and just looked at the ground, suddenly at a loss of what to say.

The next sound she heard was the clanging of sword on sword. Looking up she saw that Inuyasha was swinging the Tetsusaiga frantically, blind in his rage to all of the techniques he had learned, and Sesshoumaru was dodging easily. Kagome turned around to look at Miroku and Sango.

"Help him!" she yelled, stunned that her friends weren't rushing into slay Sesshoumaru. Miroku shook his head.

"No. It was a challenge, issued from one brother to another. I refuse to intrude upon this sacred act." Miroku said.

"Besides, I doubt Inuyasha would let us. Think of his pride." Sango followed, trying to ease the hurt look off of Kagome's face.

"What good will his pride be when he's dead?" she yelled at them, sliding herself off of Kirara. She shot an angry look her friends, daring them to come closer and she limped off to the battle field.

Sesshoumaru had Inuyasha pinned against the wall of the palace. The younger brother was trying to hold him back, but Sesshoumaru seemed to have a height advantage on his side. He was stunned when he felt the hanyou's foot strike his armour, thrusting him backward. He caught himself before he fell to the ground, but the act of defence had only angered him.

Inuyasha looked around and noticed a glint in one of the trees. He hid a smirk and threw the Tetsusaiga to the ground beside him, still pressed against the wall.

"I give up." he said, looking Sesshoumaru straight in the eye. The disgust wasn't hidden on his brother's face.

"What a human thing to do." Sesshoumaru replied, getting ready to strike out and finish Inuyasha once and for all. His hand tensed on Toukijin as he poised to attack.

Mid-strike he realized that something was amiss. He quickly turned the blade and dug it into the wall, mere centimetres away from Inuyasha's head. He quickly saw what had seemed so wrong.

Kagome had flung herself in front of Inuyasha, doing her best to guard him. She was breathing heavily and the blood on her kimono indicated that her wound had opened.

"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru said; close enough to kiss her, and desperately wanting to.

"Don't hurt him." she said, almost pleading. Once again a silence fell over them, thick with confusion.

No one heard it coming and only realized what it was when it was over. Solid blades, circular in appearance, thrust forth from the forest. Kagome felt Inuyasha slide his hands around her waist, pulling her away. They both fell to the ground and Kagome felt something heavy fall onto her head. The wall of the palace exploded in one spot and smoke rose everywhere from the debris.

Inuyasha looked up and saw the shadowy figure of Kagura receding back into the trees. He began to call for her when Kagome's whimpering became evident. Looking down at her he saw that her head was dripping blood and she seemed to be staring off into space. He grabbed her arms and shook her, trying to get her to focus.

"Are you hurt?" he yelled at her, faintly hearing the fast footsteps of Miroku and the others approaching. She shook her head. He felt relief but it was short lived. As he stared into her eyes he saw a thin tear run down her now dirty face. It was then he realized that she wasn't just staring out into space. He turned and saw his brother, his body slowly sliding down the wall. Thick blood gushed out of his head, but worst of all was his chest wound. In the impact of the wind Sesshoumaru had been flung forward, impaling himself upon his own Toukijin which he shoved into the wall when Kagome appeared.

Inuyasha let go of her and went to inspect his brother. His nose wrinkled at the heavy scent of blood in the air. He touched the older demon, but the skin gave no response. He shook his head and glanced back over to Kagome, who was now sitting against Miroku.

Inuyasha tried to protest as she began to stand, but he was quickly stopped by a harsh glance from Sango. She looked at him with shock. She had realized what he had done.

Kagome walked foreword, past Inuyasha, and stood in front of Sesshoumaru while Inuyasha turned to walk to where the others were.

"Inuyasha, what have you done?" Sango asked him, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"What do you mean?" he asked angrily. Sango shook her head in disgust and nodded towards Kagome. Looking back he understood what had angered Sango so.

Kagome was leaning against Sesshoumaru, her hands wrapped around the sword that held him prisoner. They watched as she struggled to remove it, unsure of what they should say or do. The sword refused to come loose, and Kagome's hands had been sliced in the process. She sunk to the ground by Sesshoumaru's hanging feet and stared at the blood on her arms. It was gooey and beginning to get old, some of it stretching down her arm like molasses.

She wrapped her arms around herself and began to give silent sobs so great they racked her small body.

When she glanced back up at Inuyasha he didn't think he had ever seen so much hate in anyone's eyes before.

XoXoXoX

A/N - Ooh, a cliffy! Don't worry this isn't the end. But is Sesshoumaru still alive? What will Kagome do? Hmmm you'll have to wait to find out. And soon hopefully, for I have been CURED by my writer's block. Seems like a day at White Water really got the creativity flowing. Well, expect more updates, even though school is just around the corner, I will continue to update as often as I can. Hello Junior year! Lol. Review please. :)


	13. Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

****

Don't Want to Miss a Thing

I don't wanna miss one smile  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
Well, I just wanna be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just wanna hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time

****

Aerosmith

Inuyasha felt like he had been struck. He was so astounded that movement seemed impossible and time seemed to have stopped, taken a long, deep breath and was waiting to release it. The way she looked, her cheeks wet with tears from what he had done, was almost unbearable.

Sango was now standing beside Kagome, trying to console her, but the girl refused to be quieted.

Kagome stood up and looked at Sesshoumaru again. She wouldn't let herself look at Inuyasha, wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing her anger. She thought it was even more punishment for him to wait for her outburst, wait for the venting of anger that was seething beneath her surface.

Kagome went to turn around, to finally unleash the words she had been biting back, when a frail hand touched her wrist. She looked down at it, almost not believing it was real.

"Sesshoumaru…?" she said softly, daring herself to look into his face. His eyes were parted, the golden canvases dulled and almost lifeless. A small trickle of blood running from his nose had dried and crusted on his face. She looked into his eyes, trying to decide if it was real or a cruel illusion.

"Inuyasha!" she heard Sango yell. She had seen it too. _'He's alive…he's alive…'_ she thought, the words running around in her head like a broken record. It was all she could think and it filled her until she wasn't able to speak.

Her happiness was fuelled when a pair of pale hands clasped around the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha was looking at his brother dead in the eyes, trying to convey some message that Kagome couldn't read. Apparently Sesshoumaru, even in his weakened state, knew though.

"Do it." he muttered, his voice so low that Kagome could barely hear it. She opened her mouth to say something, but her words were quickly stifled by Inuyasha pulling the sword out of his brother's body. Sesshoumaru began to slide down the wall but Kagome caught him under the arms. They tumbled to the ground, both of them thrown off balance, and he landed on top of her. She once again felt the ooze of blood dripping onto her body and it brought back memories of the prison. She turned him over and laid him on his back, checking his face for signs of pain. Not to her surprise, no such signs were given.

"We've got to get him inside." she said.

For the second time in less than two weeks Kagome found herself fighting for Sesshoumaru's life.

****

XoXoXoX

__

'Once Inuyasha is by my side I will finish you once and for all!' Kagura thought. Her breathing was heavy and sweat covered her body. She reached up and touched her busted lip, disgusted by the blood that covered her fingers. She looked at Naraku, letting all the hate she was feeling into her eyes, wishing that she had the power to attack him, to overtake him, see him writhing in pain while she delivered blow after blow.

"So you teamed with Inuyasha? Did you think I would not know?" he asked her, his voice low and deadly. He was sick of her scheming and alarmed at how well she carried it out. She _had_ learned things from him, it seemed. And even now he was proud of her, at the hate that shot from her eyes, the way she arrogantly stood with her shoulders high when he hit her. She was strong, any stronger and he'd have to kill her. And now she had proven her battle wit as well. Yes, she was certainly a problem.

"I knew you would find out eventually." she replied. _'But I thought you'd be dead by then…' _she thought, smart enough to not mention it.

He struck her again, a box to the ears so powerful it almost knocked her down. She lost her hearing in the ear for a moment and her vision was a little cloudy. She blinked a few times and bit back the scathing comments she so dearly wanted to speak.

He reached out again and she braced herself for another blow, but this time she felt his hands cup her face. She stood frozen. He turned her head so that he could better see her ear, smiling at the blood that ran out of it. He spoke something but she still could not hear.

__

'He's going to kill me.' she thought, amazed at the calm that overcame her at that moment. A silence settled into her and her breath came out slowly and evenly. She turned her face to look at him, complacency in her eyes for once.

He said something again but she couldn't hear it, all she saw were his lips moving. And after that, though she didn't really know how, she was thrown into the wall. She felt bones within her body crack and jut forward, her ribs stretching her skin, trying to burst out. She slid down the wall, her vision white from pain. When she reached the ground she felt a rib finally break the surface and protrude out to greet the cold air. She felt warm blood rush out of her, a burning bright red that poured onto the floor in a grim entrance. She saw him smirk once more before he disappeared.

She opened her mouth, coughing out the blood that had occupied it. She was going fast. She pulled all the energy she could to say her final words.

"It's not over yet."

And then she saw nothing.

****

XoXoXoX

The wound was severe, blood oozing out whenever he was moved, even in the slightest. But even so they could already see the skin knitting back together, the sick cracking sound indicating that the bone was also repairing itself.

"It's good he's a demon." Miroku said, sitting on the bed beside Kagome. He left off the rest of his sentence. He figured the 'or else he would be dead' part would anger Kagome.

The girl had not left his side. She applied bandage after bandage to his wound, applying pressure to it whenever the blood began to flow again. She didn't care about the pus that seeped from the wound to her fingers, or the blood that now covered her forearms. She worked only to save his life, not even letting hunger persuade her to leave. Sango had to force her to leave his side just to eat, and had to sit with her to make sure she devoured each bite. After the meal was done she rushed back to his side.

It was around midnight when Inuyasha walked into the sickroom and found Kagome in a deep sleep, laying alongside Sesshoumaru in the bed. In between their bodies lay Rin, who clung to Kagome the way a scared child would cling to her mother. One of Kagome's hands rested on Sesshoumaru's arm, which made it seem that she was hugging Rin. Inuyasha sighed. It was like a happy little family.

"I know you love her. This must be hard." a soft voice said behind him. He turned and saw Sango walking towards him.

"It isn't. I know what I have to do." he said sullenly, like a death-row prisoner who had finally accepted his fate. The tone of his voice and the words he left out startled Sango. This wasn't the Inuyasha she knew. The Inuyasha she knew would be fighting for Kagome's love, not acting forlorn and melancholy.

"Well I wasn't expecting that…"

"Imagine," Inuyasha began, not really listening to the words she had spoken. "Imagine that Miroku fell in love with some other woman. Real love. What would you do?" he asked her, finally turning and looking her straight in the eye. She considered the question, wanting to choose her words carefully in this situation. She looked back over to Kagome and noticed the tender way she held on to Sesshoumaru, as if she were the only thing holding him to life, refusing to let him slip into the darkness of death. Seeing that, she finally was able to answer Inuyasha's question.

"I would let her have him. Fighting for him would only hurt him and make him doubt himself. But it's still possible to be friends with the one you loved and lost." she added. Her heart swam when she received a smile from Inuyasha, a true smile, something he hadn't given in days. A part of her knew that this was just a front he was putting up to appease her, but something also told her that, with time, he would get over this. He would want to see Kagome happy with someone else instead of miserable with him.

They turned and stalked out of the room, careful not to disturb the sleepers.

****

XoXoXoX

The early morning light filtered into the room. Kagome opened her eyes, smiling when she saw Rin's little foot twitching in sleep.

She froze when the arm under her hand moved. She raised her head from her pillow and found herself looking into the eyes that had haunted her dreams for so many nights. She sat up, almost believing that she was still asleep and this was all a dream.

"Its real." he said softly, as if reading her mind. She looked down and checked his wound, amazed at how swiftly it was healing. A large gash was still there, but the skin around it was no longer an angry red colour. It had faded back to his natural paleness. When she touched it blood and other things no longer spilled out. She could barely contain her joy.

"How are you?" she asked stupidly, still dazed by this reality that she felt almost drunk on delight.

"Fine." he said. Kagome smiled and then burst out laughing, which woke up the bundle by her side. She had to grab the little girl to keep her from jumping up and onto Sesshoumaru. Finally Rin relented and sat on Kagome's lap, bouncing from happiness.

"I'm hungry!" Rin howled after about half an hour full of discussion between Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Kagome chuckled, swearing she saw amusement dance into Sesshoumaru's eyes, which caused her to smile even more. She stood up, Rin in her arms.

"Well then let's go get you some food." she replied, telling Sesshoumaru that she would return later. She walked out of the room and then began to walk to the kitchen, Rin humming and talking the whole way.

She had never felt so happy in her life. It seemed that nothing in the world could ever go wrong again.

How very wrong she was.

****

XoXoXoX

A/N - Hope you enjoyed it! I updated as soon as I could. School is already exhausting and it's only the first week! And I just have to say that I NEVER expected to get 349 reviews for this story. You guys are so awesome and you all really deserve a lot for reviewing chapter after chapter even when writer's block ad other things prevent me from updating in weeks. Thank you! cue cheesy music You like me! You really like me! Lol, well that was all. Expect a new chapter soon. The next one's going to be a doozy.


	14. Someday

**Someday**

**Christina Milian**

Day to day and each night I pray  
That there's someone out there that's gonna melt my heart away  
And take me to another place  
From the loneliness that's driving me insane

The wind was rustling outside, the brittle leaves breaking off of their branches and showering golden tears onto the palace. A chorus of morning-birds and small insects permeated the guest room. Sango curled herself closer to Miroku, battling against the cold. In the corner lay Shippo, his heavy breathing causing the thin sheet to rise and fall on his face. Inuyasha sat with his back against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

Further down the hallway, in Sesshoumaru's room, sat Kagome, gently brushing the knots of Rin's hair.

"Ow!" Rin cried and Kagome chuckled.

"Rin I haven't even touched you!" she shot back. Daring a glance back at Sesshoumaru, who was now sitting up, she saw a faint ghost of a smile show on his face. She smiled back and went back to the task at hand.

Outside sat Jaken, watching over the doors, his orders to run to Sesshoumaru should anything troublesome present itself. He sighed and leaned back against the mangled palace wall. The only sound was the thin rustle of leaves as they twirled and danced in the air, a multicoloured recital of sorts.

As Jaken watched them his eyes felt droopy. He let them close, the thin tendrils of sleep slowly beckoning him to unconsciousness. _'What could happen on such a nice day anyway?'_

Sleep took him from the breezy, picturesque day, and took him to the land of dreams, and he would never return again.

_

* * *

_

I get so cold summer feels like the winter  
When I'm at home, all alone I just cry  
I wish that I could just lie like I'm happy  
But I can't hide this hurt inside

* * *

"I think that we should leave here soon. Naraku said he would be on his way."

"Yes but he hasn't shown up yet. What about Kagome?"

"Hush!" Sango said quietly. Inuyasha re-entered the room, having just returned from scanning the grounds. Sango offered up a smile and frowned when he didn't return it.

"We're leaving." he said gruffly, not looking either of them in the eye.

"But what about Kagome?" Shippo blurted out before either of the adults could stop him. Inuyasha looked as if he had been struck. Sango repressed the urge to stand and hug him, knowing full well that that would only hurt him more.

A loud knock on the door broke the awkward silence. It opened and Rin appeared, her hair neatly combed and her face and clothes clean.

"Inuyasha, Kagome wants to see you, out in the back garden." was all she had a chance to say before she was wrestling on the ground with Shippo. Miroku laughed at the childish game but stopped when he saw Inuyasha's face. Their eyes met and Miroku nodded, giving him as much encouragement as possible. Inuyasha nodded back and walked out the door, headed for the garden.

When he reached it, he wasn't sure he had ever been so fearful in his life.

_

* * *

_

But I'll tell you someday I'm gonna find  
A guy that's gonna change my life  
And I tell you one day just wait and see  
True love is waiting out there for me

* * *

Kagome stood admiring the roses, her hair shining and her body clothed in a silk kimono of the darkest green. The colour made her face glow and her eyes sparkle. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat and all he wanted to do was run up to her and embrace her, begging her not to leave him. But he stood his ground, knowing that that would be futile.

He cleared his throat to make himself known and she turned to face him. She walked over to him and looked up into his face.

"We're leaving." he said, trying to make the goodbye as short as possible. She smiled softly.

"When are we going?" Inuyasha stifled a gasp. Time seemed to stop. The sun stretched across her face, making her look almost ethereal and Inuyasha shook his head, wondering is this was all just a dream.

"What do you mean?" he asked, bewildered. She looked at him as if it were obvious.

"I mean when are we leaving? I want to be ready, you know." she said simply.

"You're coming? What about…you know…?" He broke their gaze, hating himself for bringing up the topic of Sesshoumaru, and hating the look of sadness that entered her eyes when he said it.

"I'm going with you." she said forcefully, almost as if she was trying to convince herself.

"Kagome-"

"I can't just leave you!" she yelled. A tear escaped down her face and her body shook with sobs. Inuyasha reached out and pulled her to his chest, rubbing her back and listening as her sobs died down. He knew that she was in love, and he also knew that she felt obligated to him. He sighed and placed his mouth near her ear.

"But you want to..."

* * *

I'm like an open book just trying to turn the page  
Feels like I'm trapped in a maze trying to find my way  
Oh my heart's yearning for someone to call my own  
And I don't wanna sing another sad love song again

* * *

"What did she want?" Sango asked as Inuyasha returned. He just shook his head and sat back down, staring at the floor as if deep in thought. No one knew what to say.

The silence stretched on for what felt like hours.

Then, when they all felt the quiet was unbearable, a crashing sound filled the whole palace.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha yelled, grabbing the Tetsusaiga and rushing out the door. Miroku and Sango followed, with Kirara, Rin, and Shippo close behind.

None of them were prepared when they reached the main hall. Demons, all shapes and sizes, were inflowing the room throw a hole in the wall. The reptilian smell of the huge bodies filled the air. They saw Sesshoumaru and Kagome enter the hall as well, an obvious pain on the demon's face from the wound in his chest.

"Kagome stay back!" Inuyasha yelled, hoping his brother as smart enough to keep her safe.

Inuyasha tore through the demons, slashing every where he could. He felt his blade connect with the thick demon flesh, felt their hot blood pour down on him. He could hear the sounds of the others fighting, but he dared not turn and look lest he be accosted by the ever growing horde of demons.

"Move everyone!" Miroku shouted, untying the rosary beads that hung limply on his wrist. Inuyasha jumped backwards and prepared himself for the gust of wind. He spared a look over at the monk and saw a demon tentacle shooting out towards him.

"Miroku!" he yelled, but it was too late. The purple robed figure was hit, his body instantly going limp, and then flying across the room. Sango shrieked and ran after him. Inuyasha quickly leapt back into the battlefield, praying that his friend wasn't dead, and also sparing a quick thought for Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

"Over there!" Kagome shouted. Sesshoumaru twisted his torso and struck out at the encroaching demon. He was fighting with all the strength that he had, but his wound was hindering him significantly, not to mention Kagome, who had no weapon to fight with. He stayed by her side, his wound bleeding and his whole body covered in sweat. The only thing that really kept him going was the thought of keeping her safe. Any demon that came near her was instantly dead.

He was broken out of his fighting frenzy when a thin strand of dark hair caught his eye. Glancing over he saw Naraku, his eyes glinting with pure evil and his body covered in blood and gore.

"Naraku!" he yelled. Kagome started, she had never heard his voice so thick with emotion, albeit pure hatred, than at that moment. She looked up and saw Naraku, but her vision was jarred when Sesshoumaru snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her forward. All she could see for the next few moments were demon bodies, the smell of them making her stomach churn. She caught a quick glimpse of Inuyasha. He looked at Sesshoumaru and nodded. Before she knew it, Sesshoumaru thrust her forward beside Inuyasha. She ran to him.

"What's going on?" she yelled above the clanging of sword on demon flesh. She desperately wished she had a bow so that she could help dispose of the torrent of creatures.

"He's going to fight Naraku. Stay here." he yelled back, continuing on in his fighting. He was killing the demons quickly enough; the only problem was that there seemed to be no end to them. Kagome wondered why he didn't use the sword's special attack, but realization quickly dawned on her.

"Where's Sango and the others?" she asked. Inuyasha shrugged, slicing through a demon and spraying blood all over them both. She gagged and looked around for her companions. Turning around she saw the hole in the wall where the demons had come from in the first place. She gazed intently out of it, for she could see two figures fighting, their pace fast and their faces twisted in utter anger.

Naraku lunged forward and attacked Sesshoumaru. The demon lord fell to his knees, his already wounded chest bleeding ever more. Kagome ran out of the hole, only vaguely listening to Inuyasha as he yelled at her to stop. She didn't care; she wanted to reach Sesshoumaru, to save him from certain death.

But before she reached him and hand twisted its way into her hair and pulled her backwards. Her eyes watered at the pain and she could hear some of the strands ripping from her head.

"Enjoying the show?" he said softly, sardonically. She whipped around and punched him in the chest, the force of the blow knocking him backwards. She turned to run to Sesshoumaru again but a hand grabbed her around the ankles and threw her to the ground.

She wrestled with Naraku, sparing glances at Sesshoumaru when she could. The white-haired demon was on his knees, trying to get back up. His clothes were so covered in blood that it was oozing out of the cloth, his face pale and sweaty.

As Naraku climbed atop her she kneed him in the chest. He recoiled from pain but then grabbed her neck, squeezing it, strangling her. She tried to stop struggling but she began to panic. Her vision became cloudy and distorted, blackness slowly creeping in as she gasped for air. She felt so sickeningly hot.

And then a wind picked up, first soft and refreshing, but suddenly changing to hurricane like proportions. Naraku was flung away from her and she crawled over to Sesshoumaru, trying to keep them both grounded in the heavy wind.

And then, as quickly as the wind had come, it vanished, the world returning once again to its languid state. Kagome could swear she heard a faint laughing, but it too was carried away by the wind.

"Sesshoumaru, are you alright?" she asked him, helping him to stand. She could still hear the faint sounds of Inuyasha's fighting, but she was blind to everything save for him. Neither of them noticed that Naraku was getting up, a hate so thick in his eyes that his face was transformed by it. He looked deadly and slightly insane, which is never a good combination. He rushed at the two, his talons sharp and glinting, wanting nothing more than to gouge out the girl's eyeballs.

"Kagome!" was all she heard before a figure pushed her out of the way, causing her to go tumbling on top of Sesshoumaru. She looked up and gasped.

Inuyasha was lying on the ground, Naraku's hand shoved inside of his chest. Kagome could tell that he was in pain.

"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru called quietly. The hanyou looked over, the pain evident on his face. Kagome got up and prepared to attack Naraku but Sesshoumaru stopped her. She turned on him and looked hurt.

"Why are you stopping me?" she yelled.

"He's got his heart." he said simply, still not letting her go.

* * *

I get so cold summer feels like the winter  
when I'm at home, all alone, I just cry  
I wish that I could just lie like I'm happy  
But I can't hide this hurt inside

* * *

"Inuyasha…" Naraku refused to move, standing over Inuyasha's writhing figure, a look of pleasure on his face.

Suddenly, something huge and spinning whirled past Kagome's head. She pinpointed the object and realized that it was Sango's Hiraikotsu. Naraku looked away, distracted, and that was when Sesshoumaru struck.

He jumped up, the sudden movement tumbling Kagome backwards, and thrust Toukijin deep into Naraku's chest. Kagome felt sick when she heard the dull 'pop' of the skin as the blade broke through the back.

Suddenly, all the noise within the palace walls stills, as if time itself had stopped. Naraku let go of Inuyasha and went tumbling backwards, Toukijin still lodged within his body. A thick black river began to pour from the wound.

Immediately after the dark blood appeared, a horrible shrieking sound filled the air.

"Look!" Kagome shouted. They all looked towards the palace, where all of the demons were disappearing quickly, creating a whirlwind. As abruptly as they had come, they were gone. They stared into the empty palace and Kagome felt herself smile as a figure limped out of it.

Sango appeared, Miroku's arm draped around her shoulder. They walked slowly outside and over to the others.

"What's happening?" Sango asked, her mouth agape. Kagome returned her gaze to Naraku.

His skin seemed to be decaying, his body turning a grotesque colour. Gore was dripping from different parts of his body. He seemed to be decomposing.

"It's over." Sesshoumaru said quietly, letting himself sit gently on the ground, trying to position himself so that he wasn't in too much pain.

Finally, with one horrific shriek, the macabre form of Naraku faded away.

Their happiness was short-lived, however, as they turned their gazes back to the writhing form of Inuyasha.

* * *

Take me away, away  
Far away, away

* * *

Kagome was by his side, wiping the sweat out of his eyes. Blood poured out of his body so quickly that no amount of compresses or demonic abilities could stop it.

"Kag..Kagome…" he said quietly. She felt everyone behind her, staring at her. They were all sitting down, waiting in anticipation for whatever was about to happen. She bent down and placed her ear near his mouth.

"What is it?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer. She didn't want to play nurse to the seemingly infallible Inuyasha. Her life had been turned so topsy-turvy already that this seemed to be a cruel turn of fate.

"I want…" he sighed heavily. Kagome heard a collective gasp. Everyone thought that he had died, but Kagome could still hear him drawing in breath, though it was very, very faint.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked again. He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She was astonished to see him attempt to smile, failing horribly as another wave of pain hit him. The sight made her want to cry even more.

"I want you…to be…happy." he muttered, motioning his eyes to her right, where she knew Sesshoumaru sat, nursing his own wounds. "Please be happy…" he reiterated.

* * *

Take me away  
So far away, away

* * *

He let out a small groan as another wave of pain hit him. She was feeling frantic. She grabbed his collar and shook him slightly.

"No! Inuyasha! We can bring you back! We can bring you back and everything will be fine!" she screamed, not caring who heard. He put a hand gently onto her arm and she let him go. He smiled gently at her again.

"I don't want to be alive and not with you…it's better this way, Kagome…" he said softly.

The wind picked up, the leaves once again performing their cheerful dance, as if nothing had ever happened. They danced over the dead body of Jaken, slain in his sleep. They danced near the battered palace wall and over the spot where Toukijin lay, its blade gleaming with black, drying, blood.

"Whenever the wind blows," he said, offering a smile up to Kagome, "that'll be me…watching over you…"

The wind stopped. The leaves hung suspended in the air for a moment before dropping back down to the ground. They seemed to go to sleep, to rest in peace until the next gust of wind set them in motion again.

And with the wind went Inuyasha's last breath.

"Inuyasha…Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, and Sango went to her side. They stood up and embraced, Sango waiting for the tears to come. But they didn't. Kagome's eyes were dry as she walked over to Sesshoumaru. The demon stood and embraced the girl, whispering in her ear as if she were a child.

"Come on, everyone." Sango said, addressing Miroku, Rin, Shippo, and Kirara. They walked slowly back into the palace, each of them deep in their own thoughts, their own sadness at the fall of their leader.

When the night had finally fallen, Kagome still stood in Sesshoumaru's arms, almost sure that she would never be consoled by anything over her best friend's death.

But suddenly the wind picked up.

And the leaves began to dance.

And she knew, somehow, that everything was going to be okay.

Take me away  
So far away, away

Someday

-Fin-


End file.
